


of Etheria

by Keaton Collective (Creeper_Keaton)



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: (they will get it), A lot of broken people, All the character interactions I wanted more of, Alternate Events, Blood and Violence, Character Analysis, F/F, F/M, Idiots in Love, Just trying to find some comfort, M/M, Slow Build, Super intelligent idiots in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:15:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24635941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creeper_Keaton/pseuds/Keaton%20Collective
Summary: Hordak did not deserve Entrapta's trust, it was a deeply buried truth. So when Catra reveals her treachery, he feels bitter. But he feels the truth of the words. Of course she wouldn't stay by his side. How could she?But when Imp comes screaming into his sanctum, Entrapta's scared voice saying his name one last time, well...A retelling of the story had Imp been in the room the moment Catra betrayed Entrapta. Some points will remain, some will go off the rails. And hopefully we'll all enjoy the ride!*Updated Mondays*
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra), More to be added - Relationship, Platonic Best Friend Squad Love
Comments: 125
Kudos: 373





	1. Betrayal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Museflight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Museflight/gifts).



> Tags will be adjusted as the story goes!
> 
> A classic story type, one little thing changes the events of the story. As the story goes on, more tags will be added.
> 
> This story is completely inspired by the Entrapdak support on Tumblr. I sincerely hope I do this show justice. There are so many talented people here, it is hard to leave an impression.
> 
> I am hoping to post every week or so. If I don't, come yell at me on Tumblr, you can find me at Keatoncollective. Sometimes I need to be prodded with something. Guilt works very well.
> 
> Please be kind with your criticism. I unfortunately am a bit thin-skinned, so please try not to be cruel if you see anything really off-centre.
> 
> I hope you enjoy my little project!

He was Lord Hordak, leader of the Etherian Horde, commander of the Fright Zone. A once-exalted general, favoured of Horde Prime Eternal. He had conquered Horror Hall, taken the Black Garnet, and unseated a king. He had landed on this wretched planet alone, survived with next to _nothing_ , had done more, in fact. He had thrived. He was a force to be reckoned with, a being to be feared.

And yet, as he looked deeply into the reflection of glowing red eyes, he felt- _never afraid you do not feel fear_ \- disquieted.

The portal was… It was, for all intents and purposes, a success. They had discovered the means to create it, had even had it working, however briefly. But that missing piece, it had meant they were at a stand-still. And for the first time in his life, Hordak was happy to be stalled in his progress. His hand hovered over the magenta crystal, mirror imitating life as skeletal hands raised in unison. They were wrong, imperfect, and yet… Lately, those poisonous thoughts were coddled by a bright, loud voice. Reminding him they were imperfect, yes, but- _beautiful._

But now. Now, Catra had returned with that blasted sword. Against all odds, that disrespectful little cretin had succeeded. Only Catra could complete a mission with flying colours and still throw a proverbial wrench in his plans. The final piece to their puzzle, the part that would get the clock moving again. He had no reason to put off the project, right? It was his duty, as a clone, to reconnect with Prime. Hear the chorus of his brothers in his mind once more, after all these long years. And Entrapta would be so disappointed if he halted the project! They had created that portal together, and she was so, so determined to make the project come to life.

_But he didn’t want to._

Would Prime silence that warm voice forever? Both in his mind, and in this world? Was there any way to keep her safe and also return to his Creator’s side? He wanted to say yes, confident and bold, but-

He slammed his fist against the glass, glancing over his shoulder at the startled screech that echoed in the barren washroom. Imp, no longer asleep, had flung himself from a cozy little ball, full of hissing and spite as he calmed down from the noise. Hordak chuckled, refusing to notice how his face softened in his reflection at his little companion.

“You are so dramatic, really.” Imp chirruped at him, low and grumpy, and he just shook his head. He gave his full attention back at the mirror, black-rimmed eyes glaring as he frowned at himself severely. What had changed? Why was he so hesitant? If he returned, surely Prime would welcome him, be proud of him. Surely he would be exalted once again?

_You know that’s a lie. You are broken._

He hung his head forward, clutching at the sink basin until his claws started to bend metal. Why now? Why did he have to think of this _now_?

{ _Imperfections are beautiful.}_ Entrapta's voice was magnified in the near-empty room, and he both saw and felt his face flush to hear it so seemingly close.

He snarled at the little Imp, taking a furious swipe as the ingrate took off, cackling. “You **dare** laugh, you impudent little-”

{ _Impudent Imp- Imp-}_

The brat circled above him, delighted, and Hordak ran his hand through his now-dishevelled hair. He was patting it all into place _regulation, identical, perfect_ when the room washed red, an alarm blaring directly over his sensitive ears. He screeched, loudly, ears pinning straight back in shock as Imp immediately started mocking his panic.

{ _So dramatic So dramatic}_

Forget his doubts. He would open that portal just so Prime would get rid of Imp for him, the failed little clone that he was. If _he_ was defective, Imp was a whole other class. He shook his head free of the thought. Imp had his uses. It would be a pity to have him destroyed. A deeper part of him whispered that he would feel guilty, and he firmly squashed the snaking thought down.

He glared up at the alarm, sighing heavily as his ears twitched in irritation (and in time with the obnoxious sound). “What, then, do you suppose is on fire now?”

{ _Take Emily Programming is glitchy.}_

“Let us hope Entrapta’s robot is not the cause.” He pressed his lips together, frowning. Her bots _did_ have a penchant for going a little crazy here and there, but she would be upset if Emily in particular was damaged at all. “Imp, go to Entrapta. I will check on the portal. Make sure Kyle is not in any way involved.”

Imp chirped in affirmative, gliding up to the vent. He craned his little neck back, staring at Hordak, then cheekily opened his mouth to let out one more Hordak-screech before escaping. Hordak growled, deep in his chest, before leaving the room.

Impudent, indeed.

* * *

Imp hopped through the vents, knocking some covers loose to clatter to the floors below as he went. The alarms blared on, but it wasn’t a completely uncommon occurrence. He sniffed, tracing the oil-sweet-electric smell. She always smelled vaguely of his Maker, which made tracking easier to find.

He poked at the vent where her scent was strongest, shifting a pile of food wrappers that were securely tucked into the ducts to get better access to the opening, giving it a little rattle that couldn’t be heard over the continuous noise. He could make out her voice, but only just. The grate shifted, but didn’t give right away. He was just using his sharp little claws, picking at a screw that seemed to have jimmied itself into an awkward position, when he heard a door slide open. His ears perked when he heard the object of his search increase her voice, his head cocking. Her voice was normally excited, but this sounded… unhappy. And when _she_ was unhappy, Maker was unhappy.

His ears swivelled forward, focused, as the one that smelled like fur-anger-static confronted his Maker’s partner.

* * *

Bow screamed as they rounded a corner, nearly running into yet another robot. His arrow, grabbed in a panic but shot with deadly accuracy, hit dead-centre, shorting the machine out. He could have salvaged the arrow, the shaft was still intact, but they didn’t have time to stop. Shadow Weaver shouted an alarm, and he looked up just as a little grey body swooped overhead.

“That beast is Hordak’s personal spy! Do not let it get away! And be careful; it bites!”

Bow swallowed, drawing a net arrow and taking aim. The little creature glanced back, a surprisingly humanoid face narrowing its eyes at him, before it swooped high, into the rafters. He took a shot, hoping, but it performed a quick maneuver, slamming into the ceiling as it evaded the arrow, all the while screeching in rage. Its little claws grasped at the metal ceiling, scraping grooves, as it prepared itself to launch in their direction. He grunted in frustration, grabbing another arrow as he waited for it to spring its attack. Instead, it reeled back, some ungodly sound booming from it- it might have been speech, it sounded like a woman screaming and the chills that hit him were _crazy_ \- before it gathered itself and bolted down the hall. Away from them.

Bow lowered his weapon, frowning. “Aren’t Horde minions supposed to attack? Why is it flying away? And better yet, isn’t this the way you said would take us to the Sanctum? Why is it leading us _straight_ to Hordak?”

Shadow Weaver hissed. “It is likely _reporting_ us to Hordak. We must hurry!”

Glimmer glanced at him, still in-hand the red-robed sorceress, and he wondered if she had the same question on her mind as he did. Hordak knew they were there. That was the point of an alarm. So why didn’t the creature try to stop them?

* * *

Hordak stared in awe at the portal, the energy constant and strong. She did it. Entrapta actually did it. Years spent trying to do what she had done in mere weeks, and he couldn’t find the strength to be angry about it. He barely registered Catra’s words, only catching her annoyed tone, before his head cocked ever-so-slightly. Open the portal? He couldn’t open the portal without Entrapta. She had to be present. If he opened it without her, he would never hear the end of it, and her rage wasn’t something he took lightly. She was truly a marvel.

He needed her.

Catra laughed, and he was only a bit embarrassed to realize he had said that aloud. But she shook her head when he turned to glare at her, daring her to openly mock him. Instead of the cutting and blatant lack of respect he had come to expect from her, she opened her mouth-

“Entrapta? Who do you think let the princesses in?”

-and shattered him.

His hand crumpled into the metal of the console before he acknowledged he had even moved. A cold feeling was spreading through him, inexplicably flooding from his chest until it numbed him, made his hands and feet nothing more than a distant buzzing on the edge of his consciousness.

He felt disconnected.

“But she-”

Cold.

“She wouldn’t-”

**Empty.**

* * *

  
  


Adora flinched when Hordak slammed his fist on the console, noting Catra’s little grin. He snarled, and she heard him whisper, deny. Heard Catra laugh, glare back at her as she told him all princesses lie. And she saw his hand reach for the bright crystal around his neck. He looked so _broken_.

“Did you really think she was on our side? Oh, you can’t trust anyone, especially a princess. They’ll just use you to get what they want. Open the portal, and let’s end this.” Adora flinched at Catra's bitter tone, something in her lurching. Hordak had an expression on his face, and she wondered, just briefly, if it wasn't the same one she had. But it couldn't be. Hordak was _Hordak_. He had stolen her, why would he care about a lost princess?

There was a sudden clattering of metal, a grate hitting the floor with a resounding clang that jolted all three of them. The little winged spy swooped in through a vent, screeching furiously as it latched onto Catra’s hair, teeth sinking into her ear and drawing a yowl of rage and pain from her. She swatted it off, and as it slid across the floor it opened its tiny mouth and Entrapta’s voice spilled from it.

_{No. I won’t. I need to tell Hordak. He’ll understand- AAHHH}_

Hordak stared, wide-eyed, and so many emotions ran across his face that it was impossible to name them. But they settled on rage, and it was a look she knew well. His head was low as he swung his gaze toward Catra, eyes narrowed to slits and glowing brighter in his shadowed face.

“You have one chance, Catra. What. Did. You. Do.” Catra gulped audibly, and Adora felt herself do the same. Hordak looked feral. His steps were slow, stalking, and Catra slowly backed up towards her. Maybe it was muscle memory, from back in the old days when they had each others’ backs, but even in the situation they were in, Adora was still quietly happy she sought her out. He ran forward, claws slashing at Catra as she scrambled to avoid him. His breath was heaving as he swung at her, again and again and again until there was a horrible sound, a heavy impact.

Adora screamed through the rag as Catra went flying, cracking violently into a wall before the little imp was on her, trying to scratch her face and blind her. She sunk her claws into the little body, throwing him with such force that he bounced across the ground. He landed near Adora, little form still as angry red gashes seeped blood on the floor. Hordak watched, eyes wide, some kind of aborted scream ripping from him, before his gaze snapped back to Catra. He dashed in, red energy crackling around his shoulders as he picked a struggling Catra up. With a howl that was half mad and half pure pain, he hurled her across the room, her claws dragging against his arms with an ear-piercing shrill.

She managed to get her feet under her, scrabbling to a stop as he swayed on the spot. His chest was heaving, and all control looked to be gone. Catra seemed to notice, too, and she shifted her stance. More balanced, more alert. He was getting sloppy in his anger. It was like watching lambs being led to the slaughter, and for probably the first time, Hordak was the lamb. Adora wrenched forward, trying to break free from her bindings, but it was useless. Catra circled him, eyes wild but body sure, proud. She was getting cocky. Toying with him.

“No- No! I am not gonna let you get this far and decide they are worth more! The princesses are **nothing** , don’t you understand!?”

Hordak had no words left, just yelling in incoherent rage as he lunged forward. Catra was far too graceful, too fast, for his clumsy attacks to do much. She flipped behind him, deftly kicking him square in the back. He fell to his knees with a strangled cry, and even from where she was Adora heard his nails scream against the floor.

“If you can’t see that, then you are _nothing_ , do you understand? I am going to win, and if I have to take you down to do it, then I **will**.” She held her claws at ready, approaching the fallen form of their once-leader with a dark and terrifying purpose, and all Adora could do was try to scream.


	2. Turnabout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A battle of the Sanctum results in a tear in the fabric of a dimension.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by the wonderful Museflight, who swooped in and saved me from typos while also giving me incredible support (and a medium to bounce ideas off of).
> 
> Seriously, what amazing work. Without Muse this story would be so an entirely different kettle of fish.

Catra's hair was bristling, a wild halo of a mane, as she stared down at Hordak. Her eyes were bright, and Adora wondered if she still knew her well enough to recognize whether it was from unshed tears or not. But her face was twisted into such bitter hatred, so unfamiliar and horribly nauseating. It was like listening to a song your whole life only to realize you didn’t actually know the words.

That wasn't _her_ Catra. Wasn't the girl who curled up at the foot of her bed, helped her steal rations. Wasn't even close to the frazzled, giggling girl who she missed more than anything.

Catra jerkily raised her hand, breath picking up as she steeled herself. Adora wanted to look away. She really did. But she needed to know. Needed to see how far gone she was. To see if she could still be saved.

There was a commotion at the door, out of Adora's line of sight, and Catra snapped upright, stumbling backwards. Adora felt a burst of relief. She had wanted to think that Catra could never kill someone, not in cold blood, but she couldn’t tell herself that with complete confidence. Not with the way things were right now.

Then Hordak growled, lifting his head. Even through pain-gritted teeth, he grinned.

"You missed your chance, Catra."

He rose to his feet slowly, looking like a wraith. He charged her wildly, then roared in shocked pain when an arrow struck his hand, covering it in green slime and throwing it back with an audible crack. He hissed as he tried to shake it loose. Meanwhile, Adora shouted through her gag as her friends came into view. They had made it. They had come for her!

Catra darted to the other side of the room, eliminating the chance for one blast from Shadow Weaver to hit both her and Hordak. He barely glanced at the Squad, only shooting a withering glare at the sorceress and Bow before his eyes honed back in on the Force Captain.

"Uh, guys? Are they fighting each other? Am I taking out Hordak or Catra?! Who do I aim at!?" Hearing Bow's voice again was like cold water on a burn.

Hordak was still trying to get the slime off his hand as he started toward Catra, snarling in rage, only for a red crackling bolt to throw him backward. The sorceress yanked Glimmer behind a metal structure, peering out to glare at the fallen man. "Hordak, you fool! Catra is nothing. Forget her!" 

Shadow Weaver's voice was more like lemon juice on a cut, sour and stinging.

Adora looked away as he bounced hard on the floor, a blatant imitation of the tiny creature still bleeding close by. Her eyes sought out Catra without meaning to. Catra, who was pressed into a corner as she watched Shadow Weaver. Catra, who was openly crying as she stared at the mentor who just called her nothing.

Those mismatched eyes shifted, locking onto Adora's, and that ugly, ugly expression came back. The Best Friend Squad was distracted, still trying to beat Hordak even though he just kept getting up, still struggling to make it to his real quarry. Catra held her gaze as she walked forward, tail unnaturally still and eyes glassy.

Adora shook her head at her, eyes watering as she pleaded without words. _Catra, you are stronger than this. Please._

But Catra just shook her head, chest hitching.

"I am _not_ nothing. I will not be forgotten." Her voice was choked, steely. "I am so much more. More than your friends. More than _you."_ She grabbed the switch, ignoring Adora's muffled screams, and flipped it, leaning her full weight against the shaft until it snapped. Somehow, that single sound was louder than all the commotion in the room combined.

The energy of the room changed, creating an odd static. Dust froze in the air as unseen and unheard electricity rippled around them. There was the groaning of metal as massive armatures started to shift, seemingly of their own accord. Adora writhed, shifting enough that the gag slipped down her chin.

She twisted as best she could to see the fight by the Sanctum’s door, screaming, “Hordak! Hordak, the portal! Shut it off!” His gaze rested on her, wild and frantic, before a flash from the assembling device had him shielding his eyes with a shout. It took him a moment to blink away the light before looking straight back at Catra. And Adora knew she wasn’t enough. She needed to convince him. And she had an idea. It was probably a _bad_ idea, not at all thought through. But when did they **ever** think things through? She sucked in a deep breath, watching as the framework of the portal snapped into place, the sword- _her_ sword- getting sucked into the center. All or nothing. 

“Entrapta knew it was dangerous!" Adora shouted. "I think she was trying to warn you! Please, we don’t have any time!”

That got him, eyes widening as his hand spasmed toward that crystal again. Hordak roared and he bolted forward, breaking away from the Squad. Catra boldly jumped in his path and took a swipe at him, only missing when an arrow whizzed between them, tapping against her claws and knocking her hand away. He broke his stride for a moment, glaring at the off-balance Catra. He reached out, claws digging into her arm as he snarled down at her. Then his eyes met Adora's desperate stare over her shoulder.

She pleaded again, "Let Catra go! Please!" 

Catra was left sputtering and hissing as Hordak shoved her aside. Reaching the portal, he wrapped his arms around a piece of framework and directly into the waxing light. His eyes widened at the contact, and Adora could suddenly smell hot metal and burning flesh. Not strong yet, but no doubt very painful. He yelled as he tightened his grip, sparks flying from the armour around his shoulders. A screeching sound, metal against whatever his claws were, and the metal suddenly bent away in a crumpling scream. The frame was disrupted, but not broken. Hordak stared in panic as the light sputtered, but continued to swirl. There was a sound like rolling thunder, building and building. It swirled around her sword, starting to draw little ends and odds from around the lab, small metal pieces pulling towards it. The little body of the spy slid, just a bit, before getting caught against a workbench. Hordak released the mangled metal, eyes wide and searching as he took in the device. He staggered to the other side, arms smoking even as he grabbed onto the other piece, but Adora knew. Just breaking the frame wasn’t enough.

Adora felt her wrists fall from their restraints as Glimmer dropped down in front of her. Her mouth was moving, but she couldn’t hear anything over the blood rushing in her ears. Glimmer grabbed at her clothing, her shoulders, pulling until she managed to stagger upright. The princess tried to tug her towards the Squad, but Adora snatched her hand away. Debris lay scattered around the lab, larger pieces starting to rock as the pulling force increased. The thunderous sound was still rising from the portal, her sword still locked in the epicentre. She swung her head around to catch sight of Catra, knowing before she looked that she would be long gone. 

Adora swatted Glimmer away once more before staggering to her sword. She thrust her hand into the burning light until she felt the familiar hilt, her voice whispering those magic words.

The feeling of strength filled her body, and she braced as she started to pull her blade from the light. There was an image flickering on the other side, monotone whites and bright, bright green. She saw an impression of a throne, a form watching her with acidic eyes. She saw Hordak tense, staring into the portal in shock. His mouth dropped open, and she imagined he must have gasped. She grit her teeth, glaring at the figure, before she wrenched. The energy clung like grasping vines, tendrils snapping as she pulled and pulled, until she felt something give and her sword broke free.

The light of the portal fluctuated wildly, giving her one last glimpse of the figure as it leaned forward, jagged hand reaching out, before abruptly drawing into just a mote of brightness. That deep roaring noise seemed to hit a crescendo, pressing against her eardrums, and she saw Hordak wince against the sound. Then came a cacophonous rumbling. She felt it in her chest before the shockwave hit, and she had time to wildly pitch forward, driving her blade into the metal floor and holding on for dear life. 

Hordak didn’t have that luck. She saw him get thrown across the room, metal still tangled in his claws. The absence of the portal’s roaring made it even more audible when he impacted heavily behind her. Something snapped. She found herself hoping it was the metal, not the man.

Only once she felt stable did she stand, drawing her sword from the ground and taking stock of the destruction. Hordak was pinned against a wall by the very frame he had tried to destroy, head rolled to the side and not moving. From where she stood, it was hard to tell if he was breathing. Adora scooped up the little spy, its tiny body pressed into the bench awkwardly from the explosion. She pressed the limp form into Bow’s chest as she made her way to the warlord. He sputtered at her, but she didn't even glance at him.

She grabbed the metal pinning Hordak with one hand and easily threw it across the room. He was injured, certainly, but there wasn’t much blood that she could see. His arms were a concern, the armour hiding what were probably awful burns. It looked like the metal of one vambrace had cracked as well. She dearly hoped movement wouldn't cause him even greater injury. She briefly considered trying to heal him, feeling guilty for leaving anyone suffering. Even if they were debatably the worst person on the planet. But the lab was quaking, and she wasn’t about to risk being there longer than she needed to. She reached down and swung him over her shoulder before turning to look at her friends.

They gaped at her, and she gave a tiny, forced grin at the group, gently ( _so gently, his arm was hanging wrong, off kilter)_ nudging Hordak. “Figured we could ask a question or two about this army of his.” And about Entrapta. The green-eyed figure in the portal. Why he had _stolen her_.

Bow scowled, shaking his head. He was still floundering with the winged creature in his arms, looking for all the world like he wasn’t sure if he should drop it or cradle it. “We can’t take him as a hostage! We just saved you from being a hostage! How are we any better if we do the _exact same thing_!?”

Glimmer chewed her lip, then nodded. “Bow, if we leave him, he dies. This place isn’t exactly stable after- **all** **that**. And we would be at fault for him dying. If we take him, then Mom can figure out the best kind of justice!”

“But we’re still actively taking a prisoner!”

“And we’re running out of time!” As if to emphasize Glimmer’s words, a huge pipe on the ceiling crashed down behind them.

“Glimmer is correct.” Shadow Weaver seemed to appear between them, though not through any normal means of movement. “We allow him to live by taking him. And I, for one, am very curious about this army of his." Her voice slipped into a dark, oily tone. If Adora had to guess, she was also interested in a lot more than she let on. " We will discuss this in a safer place. We must go. Glimmer?”

Bow looked like he would argue more, but Glimmer turned a shoulder to him and resolutely grabbed Shadow Weaver’s hand. The rest of the group stepped into place, glancing around at each other, but none able to hold anyone's gaze for long. Glimmer squeezed her eyes shut, her aura racing through her and across each of their points of contact. There was a beat of silence, a blackness that lasted as long as it took to count to three, and the group was dropped back into the safety that was Brightmoon.

* * *

An immeasurable distance away, Horde Prime, leader of the Galactic Horde, commander of the known universe, leaned back in his seat. His fingers steepled together as he considered the now-black screen in front of him.

"Replay the transmission."

The screen came to life, showing a darkened room full of clutter and useless trash. The video feed was unstable, loading in chunks rather than a constant stream. His little brother, surprisingly still alive - though for how long, with how weak and sickly he looked? - clipped forward, nearly leaving the limited scope of the transmission. He waved his hand, skipping past that.

He did not care about a defective failure.

No, his interest was in the blue-eyed creature that filled the screen, seeming to reach into the very room as she thrust her hand forward. A jolt to the next frame, and - he froze the feed, slowly rising to his feet. Vibrant blue eyes, nothing like the drab of before, glowing in her derelict surroundings.

He wished he was being poetic, but no. She truly was glowing. His gaze was caught by hers, standing in silence for so long that one of the attendants in the room shifted forward, a silent question of concern at his prolonged observation. He made a mental note to have the impertinent clone reconditioned. A pity, but necessary. To question him was to question what was right, what was the absolute truth. He rolled his eyes back, sending his consciousness through the branches of his clones, connecting to the Horde. He held his arms out in a grand display, voice booming as he shared his message among his covenant.

"My Brothers! One of us has fallen to the shadows! It is our duty to find him and purge him from his darkness! Locate him, find this planet. We must respond to this divine calling!"

They sprang to action throughout his fleet, hundreds of ships moving as one unit to track this planet, their wayward brother. He waved his attendants away, linking his hands behind his back as he stared up at the paused frame.

Only once he was alone did his expression darken. His fist clenched at his side as he glared up at the otherworldly being.

"Little Brother. How long did you think you could hide this magic from me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, and if you made it this far please drop a kudos! They are a wonderful surprise and do wonders for confidence! Comments are gold and I love every single thought you have to share!
> 
> If you have any questions for me, I love chatting and can be found on Tumblr under Keatoncollective or keaton-collective.
> 
> Look for this story to be updated on Mondays!


	3. Allegiance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The repercussions- and advantages- of hauling an unconscious Horde leader home after busting up his plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive shoutout to StrawberryOverlord on Spotify for the Entrapdak playlist. I have never listened to a character-specific playlist while writing, this was refreshing.
> 
> Beta'd by the ever-amazing Museflight, with my eternal thanks.

Angella frantically paced the throne room, heart in her throat as she took in the group. No one seemed to be injured or missing. In fact, they had decidedly increased the body count and now she had a very unconscious Horde leader on her floor. She wanted to be angry, she really did. She probably would have yelled if not for the fear she still felt over the whole convoluted mission. Not only had it resulted in this madman being so casually close, but she had to deal with the crippling fact that she had nearly lost her daughter because of him. The group was silent as they watched her, no one trying to speak up in their defense. Even Glimmer - headstrong, stubborn Glimmer - remained tight-lipped. Her chin jutted out in defiance, though, ready to argue tooth and nail over the necessity of their daring venture. That was enough for Angella to make her decision.

Without warning she flew forward, folding both her arms and wings around her only child. Glimmer squeaked, but Angella hushed her by pulling her face against her shoulder.

“You foolish, wonderful girl. I thought I had lost you forever.”

Glimmer froze, and that stubborn chin wobbled before she lost her composure. Her eyes welled over and she clung to her mother.

"I'm sorry, mom, we just - we had to get her! I know I should have told you but-"

"Shh, shh. It's all right, Glimmer. I am not angry with you-" She ran her hand down Glimmer’s hair, smoothing the wild locks, "-currently. We will talk later. It is not in the slightest bit important right now, my little dove.”

She pulled back, catching a finger under Glimmer's chin and lifting that teary gaze to hers. "And yet, it must eventually happen. Perhaps over dinner, if you would join me? Just the two of us?"

Glimmer snorted a little wet laugh, rubbing her arm over her eyes before she nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, mom, I'd really like that."

"As sweet as this is, perhaps we should consider more pertinent matters."

Angella released her daughter, frowning slightly at Shadow Weaver before looking at the unconscious Hordak. Even laid out across the floor as he was, he was no less intimidating. He was all long lines and sharp, sunken features, even more pronounced in the brightly lit chamber.

"Your daughter boasts incredible power, my Queen. Perhaps, with a bit of tutelage-"

"Now is  _ really  _ not the time to be discussing this, Light Spinner!"

Shadow Weaver sighed, touching her fingers together as she drew back. "I am  _ merely _ saying that, while she succeeded, just imagine... What if I was not there to guide your  _ brave _ young daughter?"

Angella drew in a breath, wings puffing out, then deflated when she looked at the children. Her reckless,  _ foolhardy _ children. Perhaps the woman had a point. She snatched Shadow Weaver's arm and pulled her aside, one wing drawing up to make a barrier against nosy young minds.

The Best Friend Squad shifted awkwardly, glancing at each other as Angella and Shadow Weaver shared a harsh, whispered conversation. The queen drew back with a scowl, almost stomping her foot in frustration.

"Yes,  _ fine, _ I acknowledge your direct contribution in keeping my daughter safe. You will be granted  **limited** freedom to move about the castle!"

A guard shuffled forward, awkwardly clearing her throat. "Your Majesty, we only have one guest room- er,  _ prison _ \- as well…"

Angella half-screamed and, seething, crossed her arms over her chest. "Limited freedom and  _ quarters,  _ then!"

"You are too kind, My Queen." Angella waved her off impatiently, done with the whole farce, before turning to the group. Shadow Weaver skulked to the back of the chamber, out of sight but not gone.

“Sorry, children, we- there is a lot to discuss. Firstly, I commend you on your, ah. Capture. This has certainly shaken the Horde. Very well done.” Angella’s smile was genuine, though still tight. Then she folded her wings tight against her back, standing tall as she sternly locked gazes with all three of them in turn. “And secondly! You will  _ not _ be approaching him. Please-” she held her hand up to cut them off, “I know, you are partially responsible for his capture, but please, children. Please.”

Adora was the first to step forward, scowling. “Queen Angella, I’m sorry, but- I have some things I need to ask him.”

“I know, Adora, and  _ I _ am sorry, but-”

“I need to know why he took me!” When she choked on her last word, Bow and Glimmer moved to stand beside her, supportive. She dashed her tears away, only taking a second to collect herself before glaring with determination.

Angella watched, eyebrows drawn in concern. “Adora, I am sorry. I will ask him, but I cannot have you speaking to him. This is the leader of the Horde. He is unspeakably evil.” She saw their expressions, the steely resolve, and her face fell slightly. Who was she kidding. Telling them  _ not  _ to do it was a guaranteed way to make sure they  **did** . Her wings lost their rigidity as she sighed, slumping in defeat. "At least, not  _ yet _ . Let us speak with him first, and we will go from there."

Adora still looked like she might fight the command, but Bow patted her shoulder, shifting the awkward grey bundle in his arms to free a hand to do so. Angella squinted in confusion, head cocking slightly at the lump.

"Bow, dear… what is that?"

He and Adora made matching odd sounds, and Glimmer gaped a few times, grasping for words. Adora coughed, awkwardly, before bowing stiffly.

"It's, uh. My- pet! From the Horde! I just felt so bad, leaving- it. Behind. In the dorms."

Angella raised an eyebrow at the stuttering girl. For a child raised by the enemy, and raised by Shadow Weaver  _ especially _ , she was… a  **terrible** liar. But the way Glimmer tried to shield Bow and, in turn, the creature. The way Adora tried to lie directly to her, after all her blatant honesty in the past… The Horde-raised child was a sweet girl, and not one especially talented at plotting schemes. The creature was obviously some Horde beast, but if Adora spoke for it, it was likely harmless enough.  _ And _ this creature seemed to serve as a distraction from her very valid request to talk to the prisoner.

Also interesting was the slight cock of Shadow Weaver’s head, her narrowed eyes. The creature meant something to her, which was perhaps the best reason to let the children take responsibility for it.

She sighed, waving her hand. "Very well. Adora, the kitchen staff will fetch whatever you require to care for it, but please keep it within your chambers. A pet running loose right now may be quite inconvenient with how on-edge everyone is." Her eyes narrowed at the little tunic Adora's 'pet' wore. "And  **do** find something else for it to- wear. Something that doesn't quite so scream of your history with the Horde." 

The three looked at each other in surprise, and Angella could almost hear the disbelieving  _ she actually bought that?  _ passing between them. Let them think they got away with it, then. They deserved the break.

They were half-turned to the door before Bow looked back at her. “Shadow Weaver mentioned him using the portal for an army. Can you at least ask him about that? If we get any information about that, then maybe we can start planning some kind of defensive tactics.”

Angella nodded, feeling a swell of relief at being back on less emotional ground. “We will be interrogating him about that, and also about the possibility that the portal actually worked.” She ascended to her throne, sitting down on it with a weariness she hadn’t felt in years. She gave a tired wave, politely dismissing them. "Run along, now. I will send for you if we discover anything of interest."

They only paused for a moment before leaving, cutting a wide berth around the fallen horde leader. Angella looked down at him from her perch, lips pressed together as she tried to think of what this meant for the war.

\--

Angella paced, watching as Castaspella drew sigils on the ground. Every rasping breath from the lanky, unconscious,  _ evil _ form beside her had her wings drawing in tighter. Finally, she huffed and stormed toward her sister-in-law.

“Are you nearly finished?”

“It needs to be done right, Angella.”

“Yes, I- I know.” She pressed her hand to her cheek, sighing. “I’m so sorry, Castaspella. It’s just. A bit tense.”

Castaspella swiped one last rune, before standing up and clapping her hands together. There was a flicker, and a pillar of light burst into being, creating the unbreakable circle that would hold their latest unfriendly arrival. Necessary focus aside, she rounded on Angella, a sharp word about the values of patience on the tip of her tongue until she saw how the taller woman fussed with her hair, unable to meet her eyes. She seemed torn between watching the Horde leader on the floor and staring out the window. Casta made a quick motion to the guards, and they sprang into action, dragging the unconscious - man? creature? monster? - into the circle. Once in, he would not be stepping past that barrier without some very divine intervention.

Castaspella strode toward the taller woman without her noticing. She reached out, gently placing her hands on her shoulders and giving a firm shake until Angella snapped her focus back. They stared at each other for a long moment, and Casta was horrified to see how glassy Angella’s eyes were. Her expression must have been less than welcoming, because tears started to fill Angella’s eyes before brimming over and spilling down her cheeks.

Angella tried to dash them away, but her attention fell on the prisoner once more. Her face crumpled. When she spoke, the words were choked and jagged. “That- that  _ thing _ is why my Micah isn’t here anymore. And now my daughter- she walked right into that danger. I can’t lose them both. I  _ can’t _ .”

Casta didn’t hesitate. She just pulled Angella into her arms as the immortal woman cried her heart out.

\--

_. _

_. _

_. _

_ -initializing start-up sequence- _

_ -Proximity warning, scanning individual-  _

_ -Subject identified as  _ **_Scorpia-_ **

"Emily, buddy, are you awake?"

_ -happy happy happy- _

"Whoa, hey there, little hugger! Man, I am  **so** glad you're okay! I'm really really sorry for what happened, I  _ really _ am. After that explosion, and Hordak going missing… not that I'm supposed to talk about that, Catra says we gotta keep it hush-hush, 'cause 'no one in the Horde can  _ know, _ Scorpia, so keep your mouth  **shut** for once- Honestly it was maybe a bit rude, but I think she's had a  _ pre _ -tty bad day. Oh, speaking of rude!"

_-memory banks_ _show subject_ ** _Catra_** _as volatile/rude/bitey-_

"Catra didn't mean to call you junk, I promise. Just like she didn't mean to hurt Entrapta!"

_ - _ **_Catra_ ** _ is a threat to  _ **_Entrapta,_ ** _ no no no no- _

"Hey now! We don't need lasers for this conversation, young lady-bot! Put those away! I know you might be mad, and that's okay! Expressing emotions, very healthy! But Catra won't hurt you. She's not a bad person, you know! She's just... misunderstood. Once she cools down, I bet you anything she'll bring Entrapta back! I mean… she has to, right?"

_ - _ **_Scorpia_ ** _ seems distraught, executing program <there there>- _

"Oh, hey, thanks Emily! I knew you wouldn't stay mad at her. Us Super Pals have to stick together!"

_ - _ **_Super Pals_ ** _ accepted and approved as designated title- _

"You're such a good girl, yes you are!"

_ -happy happy happy- _

"Now, do you think you can maybe hide out here for a bit? Catra needs me to help her out with this 'Hordak's totally still around or he'd be down here yelling at all of you but he's crazy busy' plan. I don't really get it, but Catra's a genius! If she wants to pretend Hordak is still in charge, I'll be a good friend and help out!"

- **_Scorpia_ ** _ is a  _ **_Super Pal_ ** _ , request is acknowledged and will be implemented to the best of programming ability- _

"Okay, so, I have a bowl of bits and bobs set up, in case you get snacky! I'm being sent to the Crimson Waste, I guess, but you know me!  _ Love _ the heat! I definitely won't face any repercussions over my last trek out there, no Sir!"

- _ booting  _ **_Entrapta_ ** _ audio clip  _ **_it should work!-_ **

"Darn right, Emily! Either way, there's enough metal - I hope you eat metal? - for a while. But I'll be back in no time. Just remember! Hide in here, okay? No getting into trouble until I get back!"

_ - _ **_Scorpia_ ** _ is a  _ **_Super Pal_ ** _ , request will not be ignored- _

"Oh, I  _ am _ gonna miss you... Just- be safe, Emily. I'll catch you on the flip side."

- _ initiating standby mode to await further instruction- _

_. _

_. _

_. _

_ - _ **_Emily_ ** _ will miss you, too- _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, and if you have made it this far and have not yet done so, please drop a kudos! Comments are insurmountably loved, as well. My bread and butter!
> 
> Are we feeling comfortable with chapter lengths? To start, I seem to be hitting 2000 words, but there is some potential for upcoming chapters to significantly increase in length. If they do so, I believe I will post according to the current structure. That is to say, if it was originally meant to be one chapter, and I go over 2000 words, I will either just make a massive chapter or post both parts within the same week. Let me know a preference, if there is one, please!
> 
> And, as always, thank you all, cheers, and be safe!


	4. Detained

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, a happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians! Secondly, a happy 4th of July to American readers! And thirdly, happy Monday to anyone who can't be bothered with holidays! I hope your week started well, and you are all safe and healthy.
> 
> Apologies for the late post, and I hope you enjoy the read. Every week we get closer to actual romance, I promise!

Angella expected him to wake a snarling, rabid mess. She expected him to wake with foul words and complete hostility. But when Hordak finally woke, she didn’t even notice right away. She was pacing when she saw a slight movement, and her heart jumped into her throat as she spun to face him. He shook himself into some semblance of awake before he noticed her, then simply dropped his head away. He wasn’t trying to hide the fact that he was awake, oh no. He just couldn’t seem to be bothered to give her the slightest bit of respect.

Well. She would be the bigger person, in that case.

She swallowed heavily, trying to draw on her inner Glimmer. She was a queen, and he was her prisoner, Horde leader or not. She could do this.

Her voice rang out in the silent room, and she was pleased to hear how cold she sounded. Controlled. “Hordak of The Horde. You have been brought to Bright Moon as our prisoner, and you will be interrogated. It will be much easier for you if you answer our questions.” He shifted his head towards her, and his steady red gaze sent chills down her spine in its intensity. She shivered, but forged on. “We know of your plans for a portal, and of an army you wish to call forth. We have **foiled** your portal. Do you wish to elaborate on the army?”

He stared her down in silence, face blank. Then he chuckled, dark and low, the sound spilling into the room like oil on water. He slowly looked around the room, eyes trailing across the plush pillows, heavy drapes, fine rugs. “Such fine prisons you host here, oh Queen. The silk cushions really bring out the subjugation.”

“This is no game! You are captured, and the Fright Zone is unguarded! You have all but lost this war!”

She scowled, stepping as close as she could bear to the containment circle. There were still a handful of feet between them, on top of the impenetrable barrier, but she still felt the thrill of danger that surrounded him like an aura. Her movement caught his attention and he straightened slightly, perhaps on the offensive. Even sitting on the floor as he was, he had a presence of authority.

For the first time during their conversation, he focused his attention wholly on her. Slowly he rose to his feet, hand braced on the glowing wall and his claws gently scraped the crackling surface. He was shorter than her, though it was not by much. Somehow he carried his lesser height in a way that made her feel small, childish. His eyes narrowed, and he locked his arms behind his waist, his lanky frame pulled tall, shoulders back. It screamed ‘arrogant militarian’. She could easily see how he commanded respect in the Horde. He stepped forward, and even knowing he couldn’t pass the circle of incantation she felt her foot slide back. He studied her, cold and calculating, before he spoke again.

“It has never been a game. But-” He easily turned his back on her, fearless, as he crossed to the other side of his prison in two short strides. “-should you want information, I am afraid I will not speak until I have heard news of my companion. Small, winged thing. He was present during the debacle in my Sanctum. Find him, bring him to me _unharmed_ , and we will have a discussion.”

Angella’s mind flashed back to the little grey lump in Bow’s arm, wondering if they could be so lucky. If that form was the same little ‘companion’ he spoke of, negotiations might go much smoother than she imagined. But still, the audacity of this man! She growled and circled the barrier to square up to him. “ _You_ are in our detainment, and you want to make demands!?”

He quirked a brow at her, a smug little grin sliding into place. “Unless you have it in you to torture me, I can demand all I like. But I have a feeling you _princesses_ frown upon such practices.”

“The princesses may have ethical issues, perhaps, but you and I have a _deeper_ understanding than that, _Lord_ Hordak.”

The room seemed to darken, and Angella winced at the chilled sensation that was Shadow Weaver’s arrival. Hordak’s face was perfectly impassive, but she caught a nervous twitch of his ears. So he _did_ have some tells.

“Light Spinner, we talked about this-”

“You heard him for yourself. He will not talk unless we satisfy his silly little demand. Who knows where the little beast is? Let me… persuade him.”

Angella scowled, eyes narrowing slightly. So either the beast Adora claimed as her own was not one in the same, or- and it was easier to believe- Shadow Weaver knew the importance and decided to ignore it, and hoped she wouldn't make the connection. Angella might not have had a violent nature, but she could recognize one. Shadow Weaver was in a dangerous frame of mind right now.

She glanced at Hordak, then tugged Shadow Weaver away from him slightly. The two Horde folk never broke eye contact as she pulled her away. Only when she lifted a wing to block him completely from view did Shadow Weaver glare at her.

“Regardless your history with him- perhaps _especially_ because of your history- we do _not_ torture people in Bright Moon!”

Shadow Weaver bristled, likely preparing some oily argument, when there was an awful crackling sound from inside the barrier. They spun together, Angella shielding her eyes from a painfully bright red flash. Hordak moved, his claws raking down his arm with a deafening metallic noise as pieces flew off, bouncing against the barrier with explosive snaps. Angella screamed, jumping back out of reflex. She heard a clatter of metal, noted one of his forearm vambraces hit the ground as it oddly pulsed with that same red energy. He turned his back to the device as the pulse got stronger, faster, and she thought it might explode only a breath before it did.

A small shockwave rippled through the floor beneath the magic and blew small furnishings across the room. Most of the energy, however, remained within the spell’s boundary line, the blast enough to crumble the floor below Hordak. He fell through, out of sight, leaving only the smell of dust and burnt skin. She shouted an alarm, already gathering her wings to pursue him as she swept toward the door. Angella nearly barrelled over her own daughter as she burst from the room.

* * *

Hordak hit the floor running in the room below. He could already hear the commotion on the floor above, guards gathering to give chase. His long legs carried him out of the room, down a random hall, and hopefully far ahead of the closest pursuers. Thankfully running didn’t take much thought; his arm was a ragged mess of burns and tattered metal framework, on top of being _absolutely_ broken from his efforts in the Sanctum. Most of his focus was on keeping on his feet as his arm swung lifelessly with each step.

It had been a gambit, overloading part of his armour with the crystal. The explosion had surely targeted the prison’s weak spot, but at what cost?

He pressed his back against a wall so he could peer around a corner. The brilliant hall was empty, and his perked ears could not hear any sign of activity. It would have to do. He only had to get low enough in this glittering abomination of a castle to safely leap onto the ground. If he made it as far as the Whispering Woods, well… He would deal with that when he got there. He was a survivor, after all. What was one more test of strength.

He only made it halfway down the hall when there was a flash in front of him, too bright (everything in this blasted castle was _too bright_ ), before the little Bright Moon princess was glaring up at him. He had forgotten she could teleport. A sore miscalculation on his part. Her diminutive form was not a threat, but Shadow Weaver hovered at her side. He considered attacking, but between his one useless arm and her hand clasped in Shadow Weaver’s, he realized he needed a different approach.

The thoughts raced through his mind in a heartbeat before his decision was made. There was no shame in retreating so that he may live to fight another day. He barely stopped, skidding long enough to gain traction so he could begin his sprint back the way he came. If he was quick, he could make it to the t-section he had passed, duck down the opposite way…

Another flash in his peripheral, and he felt fingers tangling in his hair, wrenching his head back. Nails dug into his scalp as he was jolted off-balance, slamming him heavily to the floor. The sound of his knees cracking to the ground was obscenely loud.

Even through his armour, it probably hurt.

But whatever that pain was had nothing on the racing fire in his mind. Those five points of contact on his skull were liquid heat, bleeding into his body and racing through every vein. The world tilted wildly, but it didn’t matter, nothing mattered but the _pain_.

Hordak heard screams, wondered if it was himself that made all that sound. He felt the solid stone under his knees, only barely, as the pain started to swallow him. His vision swam, black creeping into the haze of bright red intensity. His final thoughts before the ringing darkness consumed him was of deep magenta eyes and a smile that made the cold of unconsciousness just a bit warmer.

* * *

Glimmer stumbled back, appalled, as Shadow Weaver dug her nails into Hordak’s scalp. Thin lines of blood, bright red and oddly not the colour she expected ( _was it worse, to know his blood looked just like her own?_ ), ran vividly down his white skin. He wasn’t just screaming, he was _howling_. The metal on his body sparked the same deep crimson as his eyes as the current raced through him and caused him to seize and contort. She covered her mouth in horror.

She heard Bow’s voice from behind her, tight with fear. His words didn’t register. She couldn’t take her eyes off the pair in front of her. Instead she simply reached back for her best friend, feeling his hand entwine with hers in a vice grip. On her other side, fingers tangled with her own. She had to assume it was Adora.

Glimmer was sickened by the ragged screams that came from the leader of the Horde army. Perhaps she should have been able to shake it off, she knew what he was responsible for, after all. Knew how many lives he had hurt, destroyed. ( _Ended, and her father’s face filled her mind, so vivid)_ . But she found herself curling into Bow, eyes watering and finally spilling over with tears as she squeezed them shut. When Hordak fell to his knees with a sickening crack she sobbed. It felt so _wrong_. Bow wrapped his arms around her, holding tightly, and she could feel his breath shuddering in his chest.

He never looked away. He was braver than she was.

* * *

Adora gently tugged her hand free from Glimmer's and reached forward, face drawn in concern, to interrupt Shadow Weaver’s attack. What had once been a single hand was now both, grasped onto his head as the dark magic poured through her. Only when Adora got close did Shadow Weaver turn a wild gaze on her, as if she just noticed her approach. Adora pressed her lips together in a grim fashion, shaking her head at the wide-eyed mask. Enough was enough. But Adora’s presence did nothing to dissuade her, as the sorceress merely swatted her away, only letting go of Hordak long enough for that hurried motion.

His body was spasming under the magic, but even still he tried to raise his arm. Adora slid her foot back, hand on her hilt as she swallowed heavily, desperately hoping he didn’t try to attack. Not now. Her eyes were glassy but determined. No matter what, she wouldn’t allow the man who ruined her life to hurt her friends. 

But his hand didn’t try to lash out at anyone. Instead it fluttered weakly at the magenta crystal at his neck, talons just scraping the surface before he sagged to the floor, boneless. The screaming finally stopped and Adora felt her body go strangely limp, but it was only replaced by an equally upsetting deep, rattly rasp as his injured body struggled to breathe. Shadow Weaver straightened, pushing her hair back as she observed his form.

She casually leaned down, nails digging under the metal framework of Hordak’s remaining vambrace, and ripped it free. There was a wet sucking sound as the armour came loose, more crimson spilling from the ports lining his arms. Shadow Weaver dug her fingers into seams of his chest piece, hissing as she struggled to yank at it. It was too big and bulky to simply come free, and she snarled as she pulsed magic through it, frying the mechanism and sending pieces of metal skittering across the floor. It crumpled under her magic but remained, for the most part, attached to him. The little magenta crystal skidded across the floor, and Adora caught it under her foot, sliding it out of view.

There was a sweep of wind, and then a tight voice. “That is **enough** , Light Spinner.”

That creepy mask turned to them, and in turn the new arrival of Queen Angella behind them. It almost looked like an additional surge of magic pulsed through Hordak before she disentangled her jagged nails, straightening. Shadow Weaver flicked her wrist absently, sending a little line of blood droplets down the hall. She bowed, formal and satisfied.

“My apologies, your Majesty. He has been detained.”

“Leave us.” Angella’s voice was perhaps even more haunted than Adora felt.

Shadow Weaver swept away, not looking back once. It was uncomfortably quiet in the hall, Hordak’s jagged, laboured breathing pressing heavily on them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you kindly for reading, and if you have made it this far and have not dropped a kudos, I would very much appreciate it! Once again, I breathe kind reviews, so never be shy if you want to say something!
> 
> Next chapter, we will finally have interaction between the Best Friend Squad and Hordak, so that will be a trip. Chapters will slowly be getting longer, I hope, so waiting a week will perhaps be just a smidge more worth it. Also, since we are one subscriber away from 50 on this story, I am working on a quick one-shot in thanks to all you lovely folk! A million times, thank you!
> 
> As always, thank you all, cheers, and be safe!


	5. Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A moment for reflection and morality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slowly, slowly, I am working on longer chapters! And, in turn, possibly more than 27 of them, though I will try to adhere to my original drafting as close as possible.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I look forward to responses! If you have any questions, I can be found on Tumblr as Keaton-Collective, and I am there frequently!
> 
> Thank you all for joining, and on with the show.

An hour ago they had been crouched over the little grey spy, each fussing in their own way as they applied bandages and patches to the injured form. There had been a seriousness to them (and there had to be, with the current state of affairs). Portals, Hordak, Entrapta. There was a lot to deal with. But the room had been lighter, jokes quietly being cracked amongst the three Best Friends.

An hour ago, they had thought that recovering from the lab explosion would be the worst thing to happen that week.

The three of them sat in silence, all reflecting the screams, the blood in the hall. After Shadow Weaver’s departure, Queen Angella had shooed them back, her face tight and upset. Adora had quietly pocketed the little crystal, where it remained, her fingers toying with the sharp edges the entire walk back to Glimmer’s room.

They had been quietly contemplating in the room for half an hour. Not one of them dared to break the silence first.

There was a grumbling chirp that had them all jumping, and Bow carefully shifted over to peer at the little grey demon. It hadn’t woken up yet, and was more white than grey with how many bandages they had sloppily wrapped around it. At least the wounds had been light enough that they were no longer bleeding. It seemed more comfortable, nestled on an overstuffed pillow as it slumbered on.

“You know, it’s kind of cute.”

The girls started at Bow’s voice, shaken from their silence. Glimmer blinked, leaning over to look at it.

“I usually agree with you, but this time?” Her voice still wavered, evidence of her previous (and prolonged) crying, but she accepted his attempt at levity.

He chuckled weakly. “So, a flying goblin thing. What exactly is it, anyway?”

Adora glanced in Bow's direction from her perch on a chair (the only hard surface in the room- even now, the cushions were just so _soft_ ). Sitting as she was, straddling it backwards with her chin set on the head rest, she could only just look over her shoulder and give a slight shrug. “You know, I kind of always just thought it was a robot. I mean, there were all these little bug robots skittering around. It wasn’t that weird to think that there was a _flying_ robot, you know?”

Glimmer readjusted the pillow, fluffing it up around the slumbering form as she frowned. “Except this robot bleeds.” The heavy silence pressed again, all of them thinking about _other_ blood, other injuries. Adora shifted to press her forehead against the chair, reaching into her pocket to play with the crystal again. She swallowed. When she spoke, her voice was muffled.

“Y-yeah. There is that. It wasn’t around when Ca-” She broke off, eyes closing at _her_ name. She was too emotionally fragile to open that can of worms. “-when _we_ were kids. It kind of popped up a few years ago, I guess? It was a spy. It can mimic voices. So if you got caught saying something bad, you definitely heard about it.”

**Hordak’s** spy. She shivered slightly, not incredibly happy to be focusing on Hordak of all people, but it was easier than… other people from her past. He was… He was a tangle of emotions. He stole her, ruined what was maybe her chance to have a life like Glimmer, with a mom who loved her. With a house to grow up in, a place to call _home_. He had stolen that from her before it could even be contemplated.

But did _anyone_ deserve what had just happened to him?

Bow and Glimmer continued their quiet conversation as she rose from the chair and walked to a window, leaning her hip against the sill as she finally dug out the crystal. It was a deep magenta, perfectly intact and heavy in her hand. She flipped it over, observing the smooth lines. Then she saw the front of it, the First Ones word written there. Well, not a word. Letters. And since it was _very_ uncommon to be able to understand what those letters _said,_ let alone write them, she had a hinting suspicion as to who had put them there.

The more she learned about Hordak, the deeper that tangled pit of emotions got.

There was a sudden tearing of fabric behind them, along with a giant cloud of white feathers. All three yelped, Adora’s yelp in particular becoming a full-blown scream when a little white-grey mass flew straight at her face. She flailed in a wild panic, trying to pull the creature off of her as Bow and Glimmer freaked out on the other side of the room. She heard Glimmer’s warning of, “Bow, wait-!” before there was a loud **boom**. One of Bow’s net-arrows wrapped around her. Her _and_ the scratchy little demon.

She shrieked as the little thing scratched at any and all exposed skin, both of them writhing in the net as Bow and Glimmer ran over. Bow got there first, wrapping a heavy duvet around the feral spy as Glimmer grabbed Adora, teleporting her from the jumbled mass of limbs and rope. Adora sat on the floor, now feet away, staring at the hissing creature in shock.

“O-okay, uh, well, it’s up, I guess…?”

Her quieted reaction was not shared by Bow, as he screamed while it twisted in his arms, its teeth sinking into the duvet and shredding it. More feathers burst into the room, making it look like winter had come early. Bow didn’t let go, and Adora was thankful. As soon the creature realized it was good and truly held, it resorted to hissing instead of biting, a small blessing.

What a _terrifying_ little demon.

Adora swallowed, climbing to her feet. She had faced much scarier! She shook herself free of her shock and stalked towards it, all false confidence, to point a finger at its tiny little nose. Not nearly close enough that it could bite her, she wasn’t stupid. “Okay, little buddy. Little _biting_ buddy. We are gonna make a deal. And if you bite me, so help me I will bite you back!”

Glimmer nodded in confirmation behind her, rubbing her arm at the memory of Adora's bite.

It bristled, the mini mohawk almost seeming to rise with its irritation. Its mouth opened, Hordak's voice spilling, { _imp- imp- imp-}_ Its ears flipped back, little eyes narrowed as it- pouted at her?

She blinked rapidly, looking at Bow and Glimmer to see if they were as surprised as her. “Wait, okay, is- is your name is Imp?” At the firm nod, she tried to form words, to no avail. Only after Glimmer gave her a quick elbow did she snap back to attention. “And you understand me. I mean. Of course you understand me. You're a spy, what good is a spy that can't understand and-”

{ _Entrapta} {Needs help}_

It shouldn't have been the first thing on her mind, but the way Hordak's voice sounded out Entrapta's name, it made her think back to the crystal, the word etched on its reflective surface. They were missing something here, something big, and it was making emotions swirl so deep in the pit of her stomach that she almost felt nauseous. She shook her head, fighting back the almost dizzying thoughts that were struggling to be heard, before grabbing the bundled duvet and pulling Imp closer.

" **What** do you mean by that!? And in the Sanctum- How did you know how Entrapta screamed!? You need to tell me what's going on! _I need to know what is going on!_ "

Glimmer went from a sharp elbow to a concerned little tug on her arm. “Whoa there, Adora. I think you're freaking out a bit.”

“Sorry. Right. It's just- everything is weird! Hordak named his super-intelligent spy pet and I am talking to it, and it wants our _help?_ What if they hurt Entrapta? _Can_ they hurt Entrapta? We know someone did! And if it, if **they,** have something to do with her getting hurt, why do I still feel so awful about Shadow Weaver, what she _did_ -”

{ _Imp-},_ Hordak’s voice, deep and brooding, before her own voice followed, _{named his}_

“Oh please never use my voice with Hordak's again.” Adora’s voice hitched with a strange inflection, something incredibly off with her expression.

Those little ears swivelled up, and all three Etherians froze at the grin. Its- **his** \- mouth opened, and a constant stream of 'Imp' spilled from it, her voice alternating and mingling with Hordak's. It was the final straw on the camel’s back, and something in Adora's chest tightened too much, the tension unbearable, before it snapped.

Adora stared, face pale and eyes slowly glossing. Glimmer waved a hand in front of her, trying to get any kind of reaction, and was met with nothing. Her eyes narrowed and she leaned close, mouth just below Adora's ear.

"ADORA!" The blonde shrieked, jumping back half a foot before she stared at the princess, looking positively betrayed. Glimmer pressed her fists against her hips, frowning. "I needed you to focus, I'm sorry!"

"Okay, well- maybe try something different next time!? Something less- loud!? There is a lot going on, okay, Glimmer!?"

"Adora, I know! I was there too! It was awful! But- but we have to think about this rationally. About Hordak, about Entrapta, about everything." When Adora didn't relax in the slightest, Glimmer groaned, then waved Bow closer before pointing at Imp. "See if you can get it to talk, about what Hordak was planning, that change of heart in the lab, and most importantly, Entrapta. Anything we can find out, we can use. Adora and I need to have a conversation."

"You got it, Glimmer! I come from a big family; I'm sure my experience with kids will be more than enough!" Still cradling Imp, Bow turned the little creature towards him with a wide grin. Imp only hissed in return.

"Yep, you do what you need to do. Okay, you and I," she grabbed her friend and teleported them onto her bed, falling the extra few feet and landing in a comfortable splay. Adora was not so lucky and flailed the whole way down. Glimmer sighed, taking a moment to reach out and help right her. "We are going to **talk**."

"Is now really the time for this?" There was a yelp from the floor below, and Adora half-leaned to get out of bed. "Bow really sounds like he needs help…"

"You can't help _anyone_ with how stressed you are. You can **trust** me, Adora. Just tell me what's going on."

Adora slouched, frowning as she fiddled with her ponytail. "It’s just. The more I learn about Hordak, the more confused I get. At first, he was just… a presence. Just there, always acknowledged but never really involved with- with how I grew up. I never hated him. But I also never had much of an opinion. But the way Catra-"

She broke off, staring at some middle ground. Glimmer reached out and patted her hand, encouraging. Adora gave her a tiny broken smile before she took a deep breath. "Catra really wanted to hurt him, I think. And- and what happened? After I left, what did he do to her to make her so angry? I'm angry now, knowing he stole me. Did he steal her, too? Are we all just children he robbed of a normal life?"

"Maybe we can add that to the list of things to ask him."

"Yeah. And what **this** is all about." She waved the crystal around, frowning at Glimmer like the princess should understand the importance. Adora cottoned on to her unimpressed look, because she sighed. "It's First Ones writing."

"I sort of guessed that."

"R-right. Well. It says, get this - L-U-V-D." Glimmer had barely sounded out the letters when Adora plowed on, "why in the world would _Hordak_ have this just- in the open?"

Glimmer snatched it, staring at the word in shock. "Are you telling me that Hordak is parading around with the word **loved** on his armour!?"

"There's always a chance he doesn't know what it means. Maybe it was a gift."

" _Who_ would give him **this**."

"Who do you know that can understand First Ones writing and has been in direct contact with him?"

Glimmer gasped, feeling like she had just reached the mother of all twists in a Mer-Mystery book. " _Entrapta!?_ " Adora sighed, snatching the crystal back.

“And if he hurt her? We're missing someth-”

There was a shrill screech, almost loud enough to drown out Bow's matching scream. Glimmer grabbed Adora and teleported down to the commotion, fearing, at the very least, her best friend being grievously injured.

Bow latched on to Glimmer almost immediately, his eyes full of unshed tears and his appearance generally wound-free. "Glimmer! I tried everything! _I even gave him snacks!_ " She looked past him at the happy little Imp, perched on a shredded pillow and absolutely free of any kind of restraints, as he stuffed some kind of fruit in his face. "But nothing worked! He ignored me! You have to tell me, Glimmer! Tell me! Have I always been this bad with kids!?"

She sighed so heavily her joints ached. Between Adora watching little Imp in concern and distress, and Bow just being a broken shell of a best friend, it was up to her.

She gave Bow a quick hug first, because he deserved it, before stepping towards Imp. The brat didn't even look up.

Well. Good thing she had a wonderful role model for this kind of behaviour.

She snatched his treat right out of his tiny clawed hands, hand on a hip as she brandished the snack like a weapon. She leaned over him, doing her best Angella impression. "You will behave this **instant,** young man, or you will not be seeing a single glimpse of this treat again, do you understand me!?"

Imp creeled in confusion, hunkering down. She leaned even closer, trying to remember every scolding she had ever received from her terrifyingly adept mother.

"Now, if you _behave_ , then you may have it back! But so help me if you scratch us ONE MORE TIME, I am taking all your pillows away and you will sleep in a corner on the bare floor until the ends of time! Got it!?" She settled back, relaxing, and was pleased to see Imp didn't relax a single fraction. Good. Keep him on his creepy Horde toes. "Now. We want to help Entrapta. Apparently, so do you. So, we are going to _work together_ , and come up with a plan. To do that, **you** will have to tell us what happened. Capeesh?"

Imp's wings drew in slightly as he watched her. The staring contest lasted for about ten seconds before he leaned forward, mouth opening.

{ _Where is Entrapta? I need-} {Hordak!}_

"Okay, you want Hordak? What if I told you that you get _our_ help, not his?" Imp hissed heartily, his hair spiking up slightly. Glimmer snapped at him, the action making him draw back a bit, the hiss breaking off completely. "You think we’re going to just march you straight to your boss? I don’t think so. Besides… Listen, Hordak is- kinda beat up right now. He might not even be awake if we go see him. Let alone ready to go on a mission to save Entrapta."

{ _I know Hordak told me to go away but-} {I like being friends}_

Bow gasped, distress forgotten. “Did- Did Imp just say that Entrapta is Hordak’s **friend**!? I mean, if you think about it, **Entrapta** said she was Hordak’s friend-”

“Bow, before you get too deep into that thought…”

“Can the power of friendship save Entrapta, Glimmer!?”

Adora looked down at the crystal, frowning. “I think it might be more than the power of _friendship_.”

“Ex _cuse_ me!? Glimmer, we **have** to talk to him! Even if he’s our enemy, we can’t stand in the way of _lo-_ ”

“Bow, **no.** Adora is definitely mistaken about any weird relationship. For all we know, this Imp is lying about Entrapta as a ploy to get us to bring him to Hordak!”

Adora frowned, shaking her head. Her eyes cleared, becoming more resolute. "On the chance that he's not... Glimmer, I told Entrapta... Back at the lab, I told her we would have come back for her. And now we have a second chance to do it right. Please don't let me waste it. Even if it’s a long shot. Even if it might mean getting help from Hordak. If he knows anything, don't we owe it to Entrapta to find out?"

Glimmer looked away, frustrated, but grabbed Adora's hand after a moment. "I'm not saying I like this plan. But I trust you. And besides," she smiled at the taller girl, "you've gotta ask your questions, and I am down for the level of discomfort that it'll cause for him."

Imp chittered, cocking his head at the group as he crept forward. Bow grinned, holding his arms out. “If you _promise_ not to bite, you can come with me!” He glanced at Glimmer before leaning down, whispering conspiratorially, “Maybe I can even get you more fruit.” Imp launched, racing up one of Bow's arms and wrapping his tail this-side-of-too-tightly around Bow's neck as he began to frantically rifle through his clothing.

“Bow, please don’t feed our enemy’s pet spy." Imp hissed at Glimmer, hiding behind the perch that was Bow. His claws were tangled in Bow's hair for balance, fully mussing it. She shot a concerned look at Bow, but he seemed just fine with the arrangement. Of course he would immediately adopt the Horde spy. She held her hand out, waiting until Bow took it, before grinning at everyone. "Alright, Squad. Are we ready to talk with the most feared man on this side of Etheria? Yes?” She rolled her shoulders, psyching herself up. “Right. Let’s _do this_.”

With a flash, the Best Friend Squad- one Imp included- vanished from the room in a burst of pink light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a non-zero chance that I may start uploading micro-chapters throughout the weeks. Just small 'omake' scenes that don't fit in with the overall story, but are still happening within the timeline. Hopefully there is some interest in that thought, as it gives me more time to stay in this story and keep my claws sharp, as it were.
> 
> Either or, we are finally getting to a bit more interaction, and soon we will be off the path of the canon story, if only slightly.
> 
> (still very nervous over reactions my choices and ideas may cause, but hey, it's fanfiction! What is this medium if not an expression of individuality!)
> 
> Right! As always, thank you so much, stay safe out there, and cheers! See you in the next week!


	6. Deals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First contact!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the Best Friend Squad is able to have a chat with Hordak.

The Squad huddled together, risking little glances at Hordak. They hadn’t really considered what to do if he was still out cold, as he so very clearly was. Bow was pretty sure they hadn’t considered much of _anything_ before they jumped into the room. Adora and Glimmer had been arguing about what, exactly, to ask him first for the last ten minutes. It probably wouldn’t have looked very put-together if they had come along when he was actually _awake_. He readjusted his one-armed grasp on Imp, absently fishing out a banana and holding it up for the spy to struggle with. And struggle he did, biting the peel before hissing in disgust. It was like he had never even _seen_ a banana before. Considering Adora’s obsession with food, maybe that was actually a **thing**.

Hordak really needed to work on his Horde diet plan.

Glimmer leaned forward, almost getting right in Adora’s face so she could talk in a low hiss. “I _know_ you need to ask him stuff, Adora, but we should ask about the army first!”

“But that might make him clam up about everything else! He listened about Entrapta before, I think we should start _there_!” Adora’s return ‘whisper’ was very much the opposite of a whisper.

Imp finally dug claws into the skin of the fruit, shredding it before sniffing in suspicious curiosity at the pale flesh underneath. Bow broke off a piece with his free hand, popping it into his mouth so Imp could see that it was safe. Wide pale eyes watched him, before both claws grabbed onto the fruit and he nibbled. He froze, then screeched in pure delight. Bow was so distracted by the absolutely adorable discovery happening in his arms that he missed the movement in the centre of the room.

There was a strangled cough and a scrape of metal, and all four of them jumped in alarm. For the first time since entering the room, Adora and Glimmer went silent as every head turned towards Hordak.

He struggled for a moment to sit up, not noticing them yet, and Bow had the crazy urge to just _run_ . They had seen this guy _explode_ , get _right back up_ , then get blasted into the floor by a crazy sorcerer and still just pull himself back together. Even as injured as he was, Hordak was pretty intimidating. He hissed as he shifted, and Bow couldn’t help the little ‘eep’ that slipped.

Immediately red eyes snapped to the Squad, half-delirious with what could be rage, could be pain. Bow tightened his grip on Imp protectively. Which only made Hordak directly stare at _him_ more.

Glimmer and Hordak spoke in unison, a hissed, “You!” before both recoiled. Glimmer, with a flinch, and Hordak in pure disgust. He took a deep breath, seemingly bracing himself as he stared at them all with disdain.

“What have you done to Imp.”

Because of who Glimmer was as a person, she definitely took it the wrong way. He saw her fists clench and braced himself for her temper. Leader of the Horde Hordak may have been, but Bow was pretty sure he had never faced someone quite as tenacious as Glimmer. He was pretty sure she could even put _Catra_ to shame, and that lady was just plain crazy.

“We haven’t done _anything_ to him! We even patched him up, after the damage _your_ lab explosion did!”

Hordak shifted, bringing his less injured arm to rest on a bent knee. Somehow it was possible to pull off Evil Warlord pretty well in that position. “Have you come to gloat, then? Be done with it. I have no time for this.”

Bow glanced at the slowly seething Glimmer, then back to the apparently disinterested Hordak. They really weren’t going to get **anywhere** by arguing. Also, “don’t you kind of have all the time in the world to talk to us? It’s not like you can really _go_ anywhere.”

Hordak hissed and Imp chittered angrily in his arms. Easy to see where he got his manners from, then. He absentmindedly patted him on the head. When his hand met teeth instead of a tuft of fluff, he yelped.

{ _need to know what is going on!}_

Hordak moved forward so quickly that an injury on his mangled arm tore slightly, seeping fresh blood. He didn’t even notice, focused on Imp as he was. Adora finally stepped up as she nodded towards Imp, then looked towards Hordak. “We’re here to make a deal with you.”

Hordak laughed, low and dark, and Bow inadvertently shivered. “Oh, yes. A deal with _you_ is sure to do me a world of good.” Adora looked confused, and Hordak lifted his not-wrecked hand absently, waving it in her direction. “Speak.”

Bow saw the tension ramp up between the two girls as they stared each other down, silently fighting over who would speak first. He gulped, debating if he should step up before they started arguing again. Then teeth once again sunk into him, this time _hard_ , and he yelped as he accidentally flung Imp.

The spy nearly hit the ground, body still injured but managing to manipulate his wings to carry his weight as he glided over to the impromptu prison. Hordak moved forward, _very_ dangerous-looking claws scraping to meet Imp’s tiny ones as he landed on the opposite side of the force-field.

{ _Put her on the transport to Beast Island}_

Glimmer turned to Bow, and just by her expression he knew she was about to scold him for releasing Imp. But he grabbed her hand, focused on the other two people in the room. The people who had, at Imp’s parroted words, gone still and silent.

* * *

Hordak’s claw raised to his chest piece, freezing halfway like he was just realizing it was mangled, the crystal missing from its port. Adora would not readily be telling him that it was nestled in her pocket, a confusing piece of blackmail to use against him.

"Beast Island." Adora winced at the words, remembering the stories of that place. " _That_ was where your little Catra sent Entrapta to die. To Beast Island." Hordak’s voice was jagged, ears swept back and trembling. When Adora put herself in his shoes, imagined if it was her best friend that been sent to Beast Island, she could actually relate to the tone. If it was Catra...

Bow and Glimmer didn't know of the place, but the shock and dismay Adora wore on her face must have been enough to plant some idea. They were glancing at each other in a confused kind of concern, choosing to stay respectfully quiet. She squared her shoulders, eyes narrowing. She didn’t have enough information to jump to any conclusions, not yet. Catra had been angry at Hordak, and _someone_ had hurt Entrapta. There was a non-zero chance that Hordak was responsible, his apparent distress aside. He might be faking it, for all she knew. But on the uncomfortably-more-likely chance that he wasn’t... Adora might not have been a great liar, but she wasn’t half-bad at recognizing a weakness and using the truth of the matter to get a reaction.

"That's not true. I don't believe you. You tricked Catra, somehow, and now you're tricking us. You took Entrapta from us and now you-"

And react he did. He stood with a roar, though whether it was pain or rage was unclear to everyone in that room. His armour sparked and it was clear that his injuries made him lean against the shield more than just an intimidation tactic would require. It didn't change the fact that he towered over the three of them, a huge imposing shadow in the sparkling room.

"Took her? _Took_ her? You left her! All of you left her behind, discarded! You forgot her, left her abandoned, even after all she did for you! What, was she no longer useful!? Was she not worth the effort!? You turned your back on her!" His breathing was ragged, something crackling in his voice, his chest. Adora didn't back down.

"It wasn't like that! We didn't even know she was alive! If we had known, we would have gone back!"

"And yet, you didn't try! Did not bother to check! You left her. **Her**! The most intelligent creature on this backwater planet, and you thought she would let herself get killed that easily!?"

"We would have gone back!"

"But you did **not!** "

"Which is why we are now! Because that's what friends do! We don't leave each other behind, and we don't abandon them! And when we hurt our friends by leaving them behind, it’s our job to try and _fix it_!”

Suddenly his expression went slack.

He slumped slowly, not quite to his knees, but there was no energy left in his stance. Once again his hand rose to his chest, and with the way his ears flickered and trembled, she was recognizing it for what it was. He was in pain.

"Oh. _Oh_. That is what that feeling is. Hurt. All this time, I thought- rage made so much more sense... Oh, Entrapta. I am sorry I did not understand sooner."

The three glanced at each other, confused. Adora shuffled a bit closer, her assuredness knocked down a peg at his, for lack of a better word, lost expression.

"Does this have anything to do with this crystal?" His eyes locked on it when she fished it out of her pocket, and his hand raised. If it weren’t for the barrier, his claws would have brushed the shining surface. His voice, when he spoke, was soft.

"She asked for nothing. Merely created something. For _me_. I have never- the selflessness was- unexpected."

“She must have cared a lot about you.”

His expression closed off as he pulled back, allowing himself to drop to the floor with a grunt. “Entrapta cared for everyone who gave her the time of day. Perhaps there is a reason she never gifted you with such a thing.”

Adora blinked, then looked at the crystal in her hands. Was it possible…? Did he really not know what it said? "We're going to Beast Island, and we are going to bring her back.”

“An adorable sentiment. There is a reason that Beast Island is an exiled land. For all I know, Entrapta is already-” His eyes closed, and Adora started at the way his ears _quivered_. Glimmer stepped beside her, frowning.

“That’s stupid. You can’t know that she’s gone just because she got _sent_ somewhere.”

“Do you not realize how foolish you sound? Beast Island is a waking nightmare. After all, that was where Shadow Weaver sent your precious King Micah.” Glimmer made a choked sound, and Hordak continued unabashedly. “Oh, did she not mention it? Perhaps you should question the creatures you capture before welcoming them with open arms. Either way, if even he could not return for his precious kingdom, then there is your proof to its effectiveness.”

“How **_dare_ ** you! You have no right to use my father against me! I-” But Adora turned, catching the tiny Princess in her arms and hugging her tightly.

“Glimmer, it’s okay, I’ve got you.” Glimmer crumpled against her, and Adora caught Bow’s eye. He looked just as distraught, moving in to envelope his best friend in a tight embrace. Adora pulled away from the pair, turning back to Hordak. If he wanted to use his own pain to try to poison other people, she would prove him wrong.

“We _will_ go to Beast Island, chippits and scruffers be damned. And we _will_ rescue Entrapta! Her _and_ King Micah! Because if you think I’m going to let Entrapta suffer alone, when there’s even a single _chance_ she might be alive, then you’re wrong. Because you’re making the same mistake we did, by giving up before you actually checked for yourself. I won’t make the same mistake twice."

“Twice? You foolish child.” He glared up at her, eyes boring into her very soul. “You have abandoned Entrapta, yes. But have you forgotten that you also abandoned the Horde? Your little Catra? What faith do I have in any promise you make?”

Adora felt tension in her chest return full-force, and she nearly choked on her words. “You _stole_ me. I never turned my back on the Horde. I **escaped** it.”

He shook his head, the smirk on his face more disbelieving. “I found a lost infant and thought I could give it a purpose. What a miscalculation that turned out to be.”

Adora tensed up, doubts flooding into her and making the anxious knot in her chest swell and press, halting her lungs from pulling in proper breaths. If what he said was _true_ , if the Horde had never wronged her, had actually _been her real home_ , after all this time… They were **wrong** , undoubtedly, but she still turned her back on them. Kyle, Lonnie, Rogelio… _Catra_. And Entrapta, too? Was she only ever going to abandon people?

(Something whispered in her mind, questions about Light Hope tugging at her. More lies? Too much to process now, but…)

Glimmer reached out for her, taking her turn to support Adora. She had stood by her, defended her. She was her _friend,_ the thought ringing so clearly when Glimmer pulled her into her arms. Even Imp cocked his head at her. He never left his place in front of Hordak, but his tail swiped across her foot, tapping a little curious rhythm. Did _he_ actually care about her? Then Bow joined, wrapping his arms around the group. They were so _warm_ …

No. No, she wouldn’t mess this up. And she would fix the mistakes she had made with Entrapta. _Catra_ … She would fix it all.

“You’re right. I’ve made mistakes.” Hordak quirked a mocking brow. “I’ve messed up a lot. But even if I’ve failed, I will do _whatever_ I can to fix it. Even if it takes every ounce of my strength, every breath left in me, I will fight. I’ll fight this army of yours, I’ll fight all of Beast Island. I’ll fight until the day I die if it means I can make Etheria a better place.”

"A fool's errand and a hero’s speech. But… if you are willing to risk Beast Island for Entrapta…” Finally he looked to Bow and Glimmer, proudly ignoring their teary eyes. “It is too late to stop the signal. Horde Prime knows I am here, and he will come with his armies. Today, tomorrow, it is inevitable. But. But you make a point. You left Entrapta for dead, and she proved you wrong. I cannot allow myself the same grievous error. If you take me to Beast Island, to Entrapta, then I will help you solve your quarrel against the Horde.”

Glimmer wiped at her tears, glaring at Hordak as she sniffled. “You’re a _monster_.” Hordak, for his part, didn’t even flinch. “But if that’s what it takes to stop this ‘Horde Prime’ guy, then I have no choice. I’m in.”

Bow squeezed her shoulder, frowning. “You know I’m at your side wherever you go, Glimmer. You can count on me.”

Adora smiled at her friends, then looked back at Hordak. “Glimmer, can you drop the barrier?”

“W-what? Are you sure?”

“We need to get him out of it if he’s coming to Beast Island. And-” Adora looked him over, frowning. “You’re pretty badly hurt. I might be able to help with that.” He hissed quietly, but broke eye contact first. Adora nodded, her suspicions confirmed.

She drew her sword, noting the way Hordak’s eyes followed the movement of the blade. Did he really think she would hurt him? Even if she _were_ set on getting her answers right away, it would never be through as violent a way as Shadow Weaver. She refused to be anything like that woman.

Glimmer swallowed heavily, glancing at the door before nodding. “Aunt Casta will know the moment the barrier drops. We’ll have to be really quick.”

“You got it. For the honour of Grayskull!” Hordak winced back against the light, his face sharpened by the severe brightness. The extra height of She-Ra made him seem even more fragile and wounded, and she wondered when she stopped seeing him as the imposing shadow of her childhood. Glimmer stepped beside her, her own magic flooding the room as she pressed her hands against the barrier, sending a bright pulse that crackled like water on hot oil.

The barrier flickered before exploding into a myriad of colour. Adora couldn’t miss the way Hordak’s ears flattened, alarmed by the explosion. Even if his inhuman expressions were unfamiliar to her, there was a great deal of recognition in his ear movements.

She hadn’t spent years learning Catra’s moods through those tiny nuances to forget them after a brief time apart.

To his credit, Hordak remained kneeling on the ground when the barrier scattered across the room in a shower of glowing dust. Glimmer grabbed at Bow, yanking him to the door to hold it closed. “We don’t have much time, Adora! Get moving!”

She held the sword out, giving her once-leader-now-enemy a slight reassuring smile. The blade glowed, reflecting off his face and, for just a moment, lending a warm tone to his stark-white skin. His ears were downtilted, and it was more than alarm on his face. It was fear.

She felt her magic connect to him, felt it flow through her and seek the wounds on his body. A fracture of the arm was obvious, and the magic flowed there without her needing to direct it. But other wounds brushed against her mind, little blips against the far reaches of her senses. Burns on the arms, bruising along his torso and hip. His chest snagged her attention, some deep affliction there. The magic retreated from the smaller wounds, starting to pool toward that massive hotspot of _wrong_.

She vaguely heard Glimmer’s yell, wondered if guards were already trying to break down the door. Just as she started to think she should maybe cut the healing short- the most severe damage had been that nasty break, and that was nearly whole again- her magic snagged. She tried to draw it back, tried to collect the energy that was continuously pooling into Hordak. But something was wrong.

Something was locking her in place.

* * *

Glimmer yelped as she heard guards clamouring in the hall, glancing over her shoulder at the pair in the centre of the room. Adora was in full-glow mode, and Hordak looked honest-to-Etheria frightened. She couldn’t fully blame him. She-Ra was an intimidating figure, especially when you were unaccustomed to her.

Or on the wrong side of that sword.

But there wasn’t really time to think about that, because she knew her aunt would be there any second. If Adora could just kind of _hurry up a bit_ , they could get out of there!

“Glimmer, look!”

She spun, planting her back against the door and digging her heels in hard to hold it as she looked to whatever had Bow panicking.

Adora still stood over Hordak, but now his expression was slack, blank. His eyes were flickering from crimson to some pale glowing colour. Imp was squealing in panic, racing along the floor around them. Most concerning was the vine-like tendrils creeping along the tip of Adora’s sword, a snaking and familiar red.

“Ooooh, Bow, that is **bad**.”

“Yep, no kidding! What’s the plan!”

She winced as someone apparently arrived, banging on the door. Guards were starting to increase outside the room. She locked eyes with him. “Count of three, we run. You grab the sword, I get us outta here. You ready?”

He gulped, then nodded. “Let’s go, Best Friend Squad?”

“You got it, partner. **Three!** ”

They moved in tandem, lifelong companions in doing stupid stuff together. Bow tackled the sword, snapping it from Adora’s grasp before the infection could fully engulf her. And Glimmer, aware as the doors banged open behind her, didn’t spare a glance before grabbing all occupants of the room and focusing on the edge of the Whispering Woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and if you made it this far please drop a kudos or comment!
> 
> This story is starting to gain a bit of traction, and I wanted to take a moment to thank every reader. I am truly grateful that you give your time to my work. Thank you.
> 
> I am always happy to hear story requests, as well! Feel free to drop requests here in the comments, or find me on Tumblr (keaton-collective).
> 
> As always, thank you for reading, cheers, and stay safe!


	7. Awakenings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the late post, we adopted some new pets today and they have been a wonderful distraction!
> 
> I won't keep you waiting any longer, and I hope you enjoy!

The problem with Glimmer attempting to teleport so many people was that she was not yet charged up. And that meant that, instead of a smooth landing, the group was left to tumble across the root-threaded ground of the Whispering Woods. Adora flew the farthest, her body loose and relaxed as she bounced her way through in a giggling fit. When she thumped against a tree and came to a halt, her giggles became snorting laughter instead. Bow kept a firm grasp on the thin form of Hordak, keeping the (once again) unconscious warlord from getting too far from their landing point. Glimmer fell right on her butt, the ground not nearly as forgiving beneath her as the plush green moss would have suggested. Only Imp maintained any sort of dignity, his wings snapping him up into the air with a screech of protest before he came anywhere close to crashing.

He circled up into a large tree and stared down at them with apprehension. His mouth opened to loop Entrapta’s voice, _{something’s wrong something’s wrong},_ as he leaned forward.

Bow struggled to his feet, shifting Hordak’s comparatively slight weight off him. “It’s okay, Imp, we’ll figure this out! But, seriously, what _was_ that!? Ador- oh, great. Glimmer, Adora’s all weird again!”

_{all weird}_

Glimmer groaned, pulling herself into a seated position. “Yes, all **weird** , we get it. Could have guessed that from the evil red sword. How’s our prisoner?”

“I really wish you would stop calling him that. And out cold, but I think he might be starting to come around? Kind of looks like his eyes are fluttering...” Bow leaned over the tall form of Hordak, gently shaking his shoulder. When he did not actually wake up, Bow frowned. His eyes ran across the battered chest piece, drawn to the gaping hole near Hordak's neck. “Grab that crystal from Adora; I think his suit is physically connected to him? Maybe we can give him a jump-start with it.”

“That sounds kind of like playing with fire. What if it makes him really strong? Or, maybe more of a concern, seeing as we _are_ on the run with our prisoner-not-prisoner-” Glimmer ignored Bow’s grumpy mumble of ‘it’s Hordak’ (and Imp’s following mimicry) and rolled her eyes “-what if we hurt him _more_ ? If he doesn't wake up _at all_ , then I teleported us out here for nothing!” 

Glimmer struggled to her feet, groaning dramatically as she moved toward Adora. “Oof, I used _way_ too much power…”

Bow chewed his lip, checking over Hordak’s body. He had been curious about the odd suit Shadow Weaver had so mercilessly torn into the moment he realized it was tech and not just some glorified chest plate. The suit was connected to him, but it looked like it might be designed to be removable. Probably through less violent means than they had witnessed, though; the blood flowing from the ports was a memory that would stick with him for a good long while. Without the proper tools, he wouldn't dare mess around with taking it off.

Which left the other option. Hordak was pretty thin underneath all the metal, almost musculoskeletally wasted. If Bow had to guess, with his limited technological knowledge, that suit was meant to keep Hordak whole. It looked almost like a body brace, supporting Hordak’s surprisingly frail-looking frame. without a power source, the weight of the metal alone was probably doing more harm than good.

“I think it’s worth the risk. Trust me on this.” Glimmer handed the crystal over without hesitation and Bow held his breath as he slotted the crystal into the recess. The suit crackled, damaged metal and exposed wires sparking wildly. Imp screeched from above him and Bow quickly dug the crystal out. The worst damage was where the vambrace had been forcibly removed, and he leaned to get a closer look. Pulling out his nifty multi-arrow tool, he got to work disconnecting components and reconnecting wires. It was short work, insulating what remained of the suit. It lost a lot of functionality (and a few interesting tech bits), but at least it was a closed circuit. Confident as he was that it would at least not spark and short out, he still held his breath as he positioned the crystal. He knew technology. There was only a _small_ chance that it might blow up in his face... 

It clicked into place perfectly, shock-free, and Hordak jolted awake.

Bow, only inches away from the tall, intimidating man, would later be unashamed to admit that he had indeed screamed.

Hordak jerked back as he took in Bow’s proximity, then hissed and pulled himself into a sitting position. “I **tire** of waking up to your face, boy.”

“It’s Bow, actually. And that’s Glimmer.” Hordak’s eyes, once again showcasing that vibrant red, stared him down. There was still a creeping hint of that pale, washed-out green at the edges, but Bow could see it receding even as he watched. He cocked his head in confusion. “Can you tell us anything about what happened back there? What caused all of-" he waved frantically toward both Hordak and Adora, "-this?”

“The She-Ra attacked me with her magic, obviously.” Hordak’s voice was dripping with disdain as he glared at Adora. The blonde, for her part, rolled across the grass as she stared at some flying critter. Hordak’s mouth fell slightly open, and Bow took a moment to observe his mannerisms. They’d seen a lot of emotions from him in a pretty short time, and even now, his surprise was apparent and incredibly _humanizing_ . It certainly made him less intimidating in Bow's eyes. Maybe he was like Imp, with a decent nature hiding under a grumpy exterior? Maybe he just needed a friend? The red had completely taken over the green of Hordak’s eyes before he continued, shaking Bow from his thoughts. “ _What_ has happened to **her**.”

Bow gently scolded Imp’s booming _{Useless!}_ as he sighed, rubbing his temples. Maybe his theory on a decent nature was way off target after all. Hordak just seemed grumpy through and through.

“Well, if you’ll note, your arm is in one solid piece again. So she did _not_ attack you.” Hordak only just seemed to notice that his arm was not in an incredible amount of pain, blinking down at the limb. He raised a clawed hand to cover his forearm. Bow wasn’t a master at reading Hordak ( **yet** ), but he thought he might look a bit… ashamed? He shook his head, frowning. “Um, _anyway_ . Adora _healed_ it. But something weird happened. It’s happened before, but…”

“Spit it out, then.”

Glimmer snarled from her position of babysitting the excitable Adora. “ _Maybe_ if you let him **speak** , he would be able to explain it!” Hordak growled in her direction, and Bow wondered if he was about to break up a fight between two incredibly terrifying combatants. Before he could make a move, Imp flew into the back of Hordak’s head, nearly pitching him face-first into the ground.

_{let him_ **_speak_ ** _let him_ **_speak_ ** _}_

Hordak stared over his shoulder at Imp, appalled. “You have _poisoned_ him against me. What have you **done**.”

Bow dug through his quiver’s storage pouches until he found an apple. It was more than a little bruised from his tumble, but Imp didn’t seem to mind in the slightest as he launched off of Hordak, pelting for the fruit with clear delight. “Like Glimmer said earlier, we didn’t do anything. Except give him a healthy diet, honestly. Maybe we can try to get some fruit into you, too, to cheer you up!”

“I do not eat _fruit_.”

“Maybe you just haven’t eaten the **right** fruit, then! We’ll look into some options later. But that’s beside the point! As I was saying earlier, the last time we saw Adora react that way, she was in direct contact with infected technology. Infected _First Ones_ technology, to be exact.”

Hordak raised a hand to the crystal, seeming to jolt in mild surprise when his claw made a gentle chime against the surface. “When did- you returned it. Why?”

“It powers your mobility suit, right?”

“It is **not** a mobility suit! I do not require the armour to move!”

“Well, the support system, then. Call it whatever you want, if it ruffles your truffles. It doesn’t matter. The point is, the crystal is yours, and it shouldn’t have been taken from you.” Hordak stared at him in open shock, and okay, maybe these expressions weren’t so hard to read after all. Bow took it as a sign to continue. “So, do you have any other First Ones tech, other than that crystal? It clearly isn’t infected, but she still reacted to _something_ . And your suit- sorry, _armour_ \- it feeds directly into a cybernetic mainframe that runs through parts of your body, right? Did you boost any of your systems with their technology, maybe?”

Hordak regarded him for a long, long moment, absently tapping alternating claws against the crystal. When he spoke, it was slow, thoughtful. “I… did not, to my knowledge. Their technology is rife with the magic of this cursed planet. It does not agree with my methods. It was only Entrapta’s genius that allowed this crystal to work with my body at all.” He trailed off, considering. Slowly Hordak stood, using a tree for support as subtly as he could. Bow tried to pretend he couldn’t see how exhausted he looked. “You have a… surprising grasp of mechanics.”

Bow puffed out his chest, grinning. He was about to respond when Glimmer growled, “as great as all this chatting is, we have other things to consider. Like **how** we are getting to Beast Island. And what our next step should be. And - _Adora will you_ **_please_ ** _stop trying to eat the grass!”_

Imp started up with his merry screams of _{Useless!}_ as Glimmer chased Adora, obviously frustrated.

Glimmer’s scolding sent Adora stumbling away at a dangerously fast speed. Hordak didn’t seem to think as Adora stumbled towards him, he just reached out and turned her back in the direction of the Princess, frowning. “Is this the result of the infection you spoke of?”

“Yeah. This is the _third_ time now. She needs to sleep it off.”

“And how long must she sleep? I have an idea for our method of arriving at Beast Island, but it will require infiltrating the Fright Zone. I assume you cannot…” Hordak’s eyes narrowed as he continued, “use your _teleportation magic_ to get us there in a timely fashion?” The words ‘teleportation magic’ had him looking like he had bitten a lemon.

“My **teleportation magic** can do whatever I want, so-”

“Glimmer, we both know that’s not one _hundred_ percent accurate-”

“Bow! Back me up a bit!?” When he just shrugged with a wince, she threw her hands up, disbelieving. “ **Fine** . It can _mostly_ do whatever I want it to. For example, if you try to stab us in the back, it can **one hundred percent** teleport you high enough above the trees that getting back to solid ground will be incredibly painful!”

Hordak narrowed his eyes at her.

“You are trying to threaten me.” Glimmer looked like she might add assault to her infractions list. Then his lips quirked in mild approval as he looked at her in a new light. “Good. I underestimated you.”

She blinked in shock, then frowned. “W-whatever! I’m not here to get your approval! We are working together exactly long enough to solve this Horde Prime thing-” She blatantly ignored Hordak’s creepy, humourless chuckle- “and then we go right back to what it was before! Namely, the Alliance _kicking your butt_!”

“Of course.” He linked his arms behind his back, his tone reminding Bow of a parent placating a young child. Glimmer looked like she might burst. “And your magic?”

His question had her anger simmering down as she looked away, puffing out her cheeks. Her words were rushed and mumbled. “I’m too tapped to get us anywhere near the Fright Zone right now. We’ll have to walk.”

Bow looped an arm around Adora just as she swept by, pretty much useless for anything other than acting as a great distraction for Imp, who was likely recording every odd Adora quip in sheer delight. “That's not exactly close. Adora’s gonna be like this for a little bit… Maybe we can drop her off with Light Hope?”

Glimmer sighed, looking at her tall, loopy friend. “We definitely can’t take her into the Fright Zone like this, you're right. That’s probably our best bet, Bow.”

The pair snapped into action once the plan was set, each supporting Adora as they prepared to set off into the Woods. Bow was thankful it was taking the guards of Bright Moon so long to search for them. They were still close enough to the edge of the forest to see thinning trees. If he squinted, he would be just about able to make out the gleaming walls of the castle. Every time he left his found home, he felt a pang of sadness. There was always a chance, whenever he went on an adventure, that it would be his last time seeing it. He would miss it.

Bow took a moment to scoop up the components he had pulled from Hordak’s armour. He had an idea, one he could possibly work away at while they walked. It wasn’t a short trek to the Crystal Castle, and having a project might stop him from snapping under the tension between Glimmer and Hordak.

It was going to be a long few hours.

* * *

The miserable group left Adora tucked into the main room of the Crystal Castle, an arrow notched into a seam of the wall above her head. When she woke, there would be a Bow-certified note telling her not to worry; they would be back, so please stay put.

Glimmer rubbed her arm, glancing back at the monument as it started to fade from view. With Adora settled and safe, they could continue on to the Fright Zone with some element of surprise. It would be less stressful, too, now that they only had to worry about keeping an eye on Hordak. Adora really had taken a lot of her concentration, leaving Hordak less supervised than she was strictly comfortable with.

He had been almost silent as they carted Adora through the Woods, only speaking when Imp and Bow teamed up to bother him. She had wondered what he was plotting away at, because why else would he be so withdrawn? But then Bow had gotten more than a single word out of him, and her mind was buzzing with their earlier, and only, conversation.

_They were walking through the Woods, Hordak’s head turning at every little sound. Bow made a comment, almost chuckling, about his paranoia. Hordak’s expression had been perfectly flat as he reminded him that he, unlike them, was not armed. And these woods were not some walk in the park._

_That had inevitably led to Bow asking about his armour, and its potential at full power. Hordak had dodged a lot of the questions, but his interest was drawn to the young man instead of the woods. Or Glimmer, for that matter. She was taking the time to study him, looking at the burn marks on his armour._

_“Shadow Weaver really did a number on you.”_

_She and Hordak both jumped. She hadn’t meant to speak her thoughts, and his attention was now fully focused on her. His words were perfectly calm as he responded._

_“How could I fault her for taking advantage of the enemy’s weakness? She was my right-hand general for a reason. Her entire purpose was to expose and exploit my foes.”_

The words kept looping through her mind. If even Hordak acknowledged Shadow Weaver’s ruthlessness, shouldn’t it be more of a concern to her? Glimmer knew Hordak was evil; he had taken part in banishing her father, after all. But it was one thing to know what he was accused of and another to see it. She had _seen_ Shadow Weaver’s violence, and that was a lot more of a threat in her mind than stories of what Hordak had done.

And now she was wandering across the Whispering Woods, low on energy to boot, while Shadow Weaver wandered through Bright Moon, with only her mother to keep an eye on her.

She slowed her steps, fidgeting with her hands. The other two kept walking, Bow awkwardly trying to start some kind of conversation while Hordak ignored him perfectly. 

Bow never failed to impress her. Just seeing him interact with Hordak, seeing him fearless and forgiving. To see how Imp hissed at _Hordak_ when he made a dismissive noise at one of Bow’s questions… Her mother was right to see good in Bow. He was the kind of guy that could fix the whole world with a smile. And she was starting to wonder if she was letting him fix too much on his own. She had spent years leaning on Bow and her mother. When was she going to take control on her own? Her feet skidded to a halt.

They didn’t notice her hesitance right away. Only when she cleared her throat did Bow spin, smiling. Hordak halted, barely glancing back at her. Imp scrabbled to spin around on his shoulder, ruining his imposing act with his clumsy attempts.

“Bow…” His smile was radiant, and it filled her heart with **something** . Yes, she could do this. “Are you _good_?”

He blinked, his eyes immediately darting to Hordak, then back to her in confusion. “Do you need me to be good?”

“I think so. I think there’s something I have to do. Back home.”

His lips pressed together, and she knew he was making the same connection she had. He sucked in a gulp of air, holding it while he considered. Then he exhaled and walked forward to place his hands on her shoulders. “Hey, don’t worry about me. You do what you think needs to be done.” He pulled her into a hug, and she clung to him. “We’ll call you when we get back to the Crystal Castle. Hopefully Adora will be back on her feet by then.”

She took a deep breath, face buried against his chest, before nodding and stepping back. “I’ll call as soon as I make sure Mom’s okay. And hey,” she nudged him, laughing weakly, “gives me a chance to charge up! So if you guys get in trouble, I _might_ be convinced to come save your butts!”

Hordak hissed - she had almost forgotten he was with them, though Etheria knows _how_ \- but he thankfully kept his mouth shut. Imp, however, swooped over. Landing on Bow’s shoulder, he happily leaned forward with a _{save your butts}._ Glimmer couldn’t help but chuckle, especially when she saw how exasperated Hordak looked. Seems like he was maybe a bit _miserable_ that his little charge was befriending them.

She hoped he stewed in that misery the rest of the walk.

It hurt to know she was leaving her friend behind as Bow stepped towards Hordak. He gave her a cheery grin as she gathered the last of her magic, encouraging her right to the end. She hadn’t failed to notice him fiddling with some bracelet device during their walk. She was certain he had an idea in case things went sideways, master planner that he was. Not only that, but it was _Bow_. She had complete faith in him. If anyone would be okay walking beside their enemy, it was him.

His reassuring smile was the last thing she saw before she made the strenuous jump back to Bright Moon. Looks like she would be catching that dinner with Mom after all.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I believe this week will be our first omake post! Keep an eye out around Thursday/Friday for a micro-chapter.
> 
> Please feel free to drop a kudos or comment, I really do check back multiple times a day to read them.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading, cheers, and stay safe! I hope you are all enjoying the story thus far!


	8. Reflections (in Solitude)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our first omake to the story, and the first time the chapters have been bumped back. Pretty sure I knew that was coming, but it's still another thing to actually do it...
> 
> Also, I snuck this chapter out without my beta's permission, so all faults are certainly my own. Sorry, Muse! You need a break from correcting me all the time!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this mid-week post, and perhaps I shall see you on Monday!

The hall was still, peaceful. Angella took advantage of her momentary respite, imagining for a moment that she really could just walk away from the court to quietly reflect. Her feet always carried her to the hall of murals, the last place where she could look upon her husband’s face. The paint wasn’t as vibrant as it had been, back when she first lost Micah. But the artist must have put effort into restoring the mural as time wore away at it. Where it should be faded and cracked, there were brighter splashes of colour. Closely matched, but obviously from a more recent time.

She lost herself in studying the wall, trying to ignore the occasional clamour from the Castle. She wondered how long she had until someone found her. Too many people knew of her habit. Too many people knew that Queen Angella searched for solitude in the memories of her husband.

“ _Where_ have you been!? The whole Castle is in an uproar!”

Angella closed her eyes against the intrusion. She knew it was coming, and she had gotten away with more free time than she thought, but it was still a stinging disappointment to be discovered. When she opened them again, Micah’s eyes were the first thing she saw. It calmed her, stilled the turbulent feelings in her chest. She used that calm to address her sister-in-law, though she never turned to face her. “Castaspella. What do you need from me?”

“What do I- You _must_ have heard by now! Our prisoner, he escaped!”

“Ah, yes. Hordak. I am aware.”

“You are- **what** do you mean, aware!?”

Angella reached a hand up, brushing Micah’s face tenderly. “Do you know what my plans were for Hordak? Our prisoner, our greatest enemy? The man who took my dearest love from me?” She laughed, a broken little sound. She would have to face Casta soon, but while she was turned away she allowed herself a few tears. “I had no plans. I had no idea what to do with him. I didn’t even have the courage to confront him alone.”

“What are you jabbering on about? Get some courage together and act _now_! Help us find him! What are you even doing **here** when there is a search party going?”

“I come here because Micah has only been the one to listen to me, as Angella. Not as the Queen. Even before he was gone, he was the only person in this entire kingdom that let me speak without offering a piece of his mind."

Casta’s anger from before shifted into something deeper, far more personal. “Micah is dead,” her voice was a hiss, and Angella winced against the bitterness. “He is _dead_ , and he is not going to offer you some kind of wisdom over where the prisoner escaped to.”

“Glimmer and her friends took him.”

Casta screeched in frustration, storming forward. Angella finally turned to face her. Maybe it was her complete exhaustion, or perhaps it was the longing for Micah playing across her face. But once Casta caught her eyes, she drew up short, frowning. All Angella could offer was a weak smile.

Casta crossed her arms, trying to collect some of her anger’s momentum. The concerned look that was brewing underneath it all never fully faded. “Is there some reason that you are so calm about all of this?”

Angella could have answered the question, but her heart tugged. The same words repeated in her mind, tapping at her mind like birds trying to flee a cage, until she finally couldn't keep the secret anymore.

“It’s my fault, you know. I understand why you dislike me so.” Angella’s bravery was spent with that admission and she found herself staring up at Micah’s eyes again. The artist had caught his likeness well, to be sure. But paint could never capture the brightness of his eyes, his boyish lopsided smile… She missed him so much. She couldn’t tear her eyes away as she continued, only barely recalling that Casta was still there as she let the guilt consume her. “It’s my fault that he’s gone. That day, the battle… I begged for Micah to stay beside me. To stay here, at Bright Moon. But he knew he would be needed. He was too strong to stay back while our people fought. I should have gone with him, should have been at his side…”

“But you stayed here.”

“Yes. I was too weak. I am _still_ too weak. Glimmer wandered into the Fright Zone and I couldn’t stop her.” Angella chuckled, clasping her arms around herself. “It’s funny, Castaspella. I spent so many years angry with her for not listening to me. My own daughter, so disobedient. But I forgot. She has _always_ been Micah’s daughter first. She has always been brave, headstrong. Light Spinner-”

“Her name is Shadow Weaver, and you know it. She does not deserve her Mystacor title.”

“I do know, yes. But she and Micah were so close. I suppose it is hard for me to brush aside a chance of redemption for her. I don’t want to think that the person who possibly knew my husband best is irredeemably evil.”

“I heard you were present for her latest act of violence. I may not have been there, but the guards who were certainly described unspeakable cruelty.”

“It was horrible. I will never forget that, and it makes me realize how much I have allowed danger to come close to home. But she still made a fine point, when they first returned. Were she not in the Fright Zone with the children, I may well have lost them, too. And I couldn't bear failing my entire family. Not when I have already allowed it to be broken.”

Casta moved, walking around to stare up at Micah. “We were _all_ affected by his loss, you know. But sitting here wallowing won’t do anything to change that.”

“Oh, I am not wallowing. I am thanking him for giving me such a brave child. While I stood aside, cowering and afraid, Glimmer took action.”

“But Glimmer’s action was to _release_ the prisoner, remember?”

“Oh, yes, I am aware that her action may have been the _wrong_ action. Time will tell. But I like to think… I like to **believe** that she will pull it off. She’s just like him, after all, and you know how he could be. There was no convincing him once his mind was made up.”

“Where are you going with all this?”

Angella sighed, stepping back. She gave one last warm smile to Micah before turning towards the door. Casta fell in step, not even needing to be asked, and Angella slowly started the trek back to the throne room.

“I must protect my daughter as I could not protect my husband. _Shadow Weaver_ had a point, after all. Glimmer is always in the heart of danger. It is my job as her mother to make sure she is safe. And since I have absolutely no way to stop her from running out, I can at least prepare her. Once Glimmer returns, I am giving her the full power of the Runestone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the read, and please drop a kudos or comment! We are very close to 100 subscribers, which means I will be posting a short story! Treezoob requested an extension on [InsertValue] Ways to Say I Love You, and I have been dutifully picking away at that!
> 
> If you have any questions, I can be found on Tumblr under the same name, and I love to hear from you!
> 
> Anyway, as always! Thank you for reading, cheers, and stay safe!


	9. Paths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by just me, since I procrastinated and finished typing it long after my dear beta went to bed. Any mistakes are my own, and I apologize! Go figure I sneak my longest chapter yet past the editor...
> 
> Would any of you be upset if I went on a rampage to respond to some comments? You are all so lovely with your words that I never quite know what to say. But I very much so would like to start responding!

The children were fools, that much was obvious. From the very moment the little princess, Glimmer, released him from that crackling barrier, it became clear that Hordak could use them to get to Entrapta. The faster they got to her, the more likely they found her in one piece. He wasn’t mentally prepared to imagine finding her in some other way, not yet.

He worried about the success of this plan, given that he was left with the young man, Bow. He had seemed clever before, and his constant fiddling with some small circular device as they walked had admittedly caught Hordak’s attention. But the moment Bow had pulled out an _arrow_ that turned into a _screwdriver_ , Hordak had decided he was an idiot. _Always use the proper tool for the job_ , Entrapta had enforced. His face became pensive as he thought of her. So much of him wished she was safe, even if logic dictated otherwise. His claw raised to gently touch the crystal. He had to repay her for her gift. She _must_ live.

{ _Entrapta-}_

His own voice, filled with awe, spilled from Imp’s mouth. He snarled loudly at the brat and took a swipe, even as Bow looked between the two of them in confusion. Ever since the irritating spy had realized he could get endless treats from the Alliance, he had been more of a thorn in Hordak’s side than normal. Imp cackled as he circled above, swooping once to flick his tail at Bow’s head. The boy yelped, then laughed in a good-natured manner, going so far as to wave at the winged menace.

Bow was letting Imp get away with everything but murder, the imbecile.

“He’s too cute, seriously! You want a treat, Imp? I’ve got-”

“ _Stop_ indulging him! He is a spy, not a food disposal!”

“If it’s not hurting him, I don’t really see what the problem is. _Everyone_ deserves a friend that spoils them a bit!”

Hordak growled at the odd smile Bow gave him. The odd, overly _friendly_ smile. “We will _not_ discuss this! The Fright Zone is up ahead. That is where our concern lies!”

“I guess we need a plan, huh? Infiltrating that place is no joke.” Hordak huffed in irritation. For it being no joke, the Alliance had done it enough times. “Well, let’s go with the tried and true! We bust in, take out a few guys, and steal their uniforms!” Hordak stared down at Bow, appalled. _That_ was all they had done to get into the Fright Zone before!? Bow gave him a questioning look, before his eyes travelled over the whole length that was Hordak. “Hm. We’d have to find someone your height, though. Um. Maybe with a full helmet and. Uh. Gloves? Come to think of it, you might stand out no matter what we do…”

He took a deep breath and reminded himself that he was doing this for _Entrapta_. The suffering was worth the outcome, and truces must be formed for the greater good. _Very well, let's get on with this._ “You are overthinking it.”

“W-what?”

“The more moving parts to a machine, the more likely one will malfunction. Simplicity is often overlooked, when it is sometimes the best method. You are making this plan too unnecessarily forward. We must limit our interactions with the soldiers here, and limit our time in the Fright Zone as a whole.”

“Do you know some ways we can sneak in?”

“Better. Imp, find Kyle.” Imp cackled and darted into the sky, not at all afraid of being spotted. “You forget that I am still the leader of this empire. Imp's presence will be less noted than two wandering soldiers. Use the proper tool for the proper job.” 

They watched the spy fly in silence, Hordak’s ears still twitching at the shifting of creatures in the woods behind him. He noted Bow’s little glance the first time and deigned to ignore it. When the young man went from glancing to staring, he hissed.

“ _What_.”

“Oh, um. I was just, kinda, wondering is all…?” Hordak turned his head slowly to stare down at Bow, eyes narrowing into his best glare. Bow was disappointingly unafraid as he stammered on. “It’s just- I don’t know if you were calling yourself a tool or if you were talking about Imp, either way that's kinda awful. And then I was wondering about what Imp **is** and, well- is Imp your son?”

His glare dropped like a hot torch and he gaped for a split second. Then a hysterical bubble pushed through his chest and he threw his head back and _laughed_. There was an incredulous edge to it, as well as a hefty dose of maniacal. His _son_?

“Imagine- the likes of **me** \- being permitted to reproduce?” He wound down, shoulders still quaking as he shook his head. “Thank you, Bow. I needed some levity.”

“You really _can_ go from zero to sixty on the evil personality scale, **wow**. And there is some concerning phrasing there, not gonna lie. You have to know that just raises more questions, right?”

“Questions you **must** know I will not answer.”

Bow sighed, then shrugged. “Well, I’m here if you need to talk.” He clapped his hands together, dismissing the subject. “So, once Imp finds this ‘Kyle’, what’s the plan?”

“I walk into the Fright Zone and demand a transport from him.”

“You w- you’re just gonna _walk_ back in?”

“Even if word has spread about my disappearance, Kyle is _persuadable_. He will give before any alarms sound.”

“If you’re right, this’ll be the quietest infiltration yet!” Hordak flicked his ears back. It was a _wonder_ these children had lived this long. “Though, you just walking back into the Fright Zone might be an issue…”

There was a **snap** , and a slight weight on his arm. He blinked in confusion, looking at the little dark loop of metal that was clasped around his still-bared radius. The loop was a smooth, unbroken surface, tiny grooves only visible if he shifted his arm into the light. Far too small to fit his claws into.

“What is _this_.”

“It’s a power surge device. If you try anything funny, I can shut down your armour remotely.” Bow tapped at his data pad, the interface showing the specs of the bracelet. “Hate that I have to do it, but precautions are a good thing. Sorry about the trappings, though. As much as I want to trust your goal of getting Entrapta back, I really can’t just let you wander back into your own base without a failsafe.”

So this was the device he had been fiddling with during their walk. Hordak momentarily cursed himself for choosing to not pay attention to Bow’s work. The bracelet would likely snap Hordak's arm before it came off with force, so Bow had seemingly noted his biological weak point. Hordak found himself wishing his earlier concerns over Bow’s intelligence were accurate after all. What a clever, infuriating young man.

Feeling like he had aged tenfold in his short time knowing Bow, he grudgingly nodded. “Fine. We do this _your_ way.” He could just spot a dark mote in the sky, and prepared himself for Imp’s return. The **suffering** was worth the **outcome** , he sternly reminded himself. Even if he was to be humiliated with a technological tether, it was for _her_.

Imp landed on his shoulder, pointing the way. Hordak straightened himself, linking his arms behind his back as he stepped into his domain without another word. His hand couldn’t help but toy with the metal loop, reminding him that he was at the mercy of another.

* * *

When Glimmer teleported back to Bright Moon, she chose to head straight for the Moonstone. She was incredibly drained from their trip to the outskirts of the Whispering Woods, let alone the fact that she was still exhausted from the trip all the way to the Fright Zone not two days before. She really wanted to be at full strength to face the wrath of her mother.

What she did _not_ expect was her mother to be awaiting her at the top of the Runestone’s spire.

“M-mom! Uh, you’re- out and about.”

“Hello, Glimmer. I had a feeling you would need to recharge before you did much else. I think I shall join you.”

The underlying steel of her voice made Glimmer audibly gulp. She had been rather hoping to get a bit more time to compose herself. Angella was either going to kill her _now_ , or lock her in her room for the rest of her entire life. To think, this was how she was going to die…

But Angella only walked to her, sitting down with a natural grace that Glimmer quietly envied. There was no yelling, and no frazzled feathers. Carefully, still waiting for the other shoe to drop, Glimmer thumped down beside her mother. The light of the Moonstone slowly lulled her into a calm state as she felt her powers start to respond, drawing in the energy all around them.

She was just starting to doze when Angella broke the silence. “Glimmer, what does this war mean to you?”

Glimmer blinked, snapping back into the moment. “What does it _mean_? It doesn’t mean anything, except destruction and sorrow.” Angella watched her quietly, and Glimmer felt like she answered the question incorrectly. She swallowed, rubbing her arms as she beared down and really _thought_. She spoke slowly, her voice gaining more of her own steel and momentum as she continued. “It means losing everyone I care about. Losing Etheria. The only meaning this war has to me is that I need to stop it. And for a long time, that seemed impossible. But then Adora showed up, straight from the enemy’s hands, and offered to help us fight back. We finally have a _real_ chance. And I know I keep running off, Mom, but I _have_ to! I have the power to help, and we _are_ helping! I know it’s dangerous, and I’m sorr-”

“Glimmer, you do not need to apologize. For the first time, I think I understand.”

“Are- are you actually listening to me? You’re not angry?”

“I am- angry, yes, but not entirely at you. I am at fault as well. And I am trying to listen more. I have treated you like a child when clearly you are a young woman. I can’t promise I will always remember that, but I am going to try from now on, Glimmer.”

Glimmer clasped her hands together, squeezing her fingers as she contemplated. Her voice was quiet when she inquired, “are you saying I’m not going to get grounded?”

Angella sighed, looking up at the pastel sky. “We are in the middle of a war. A portal has been created that leads to things we cannot possibly imagine. I think grounding you is the last thing I should be doing. Adora has influenced you quite a bit, my dove. You are making choices that will change the very outcome of our future. I should be supporting your choices, helping guide you instead of hindering you. That is my duty as a parent.”

“I- I still want to say that I’m sorry. For not telling you about our plans to take Hordak.”

“I figured it was a possibility. Though, I must say, I am impressed.” Glimmer furrowed her brows, looking at her mother in confusion. “You broke through your Aunt’s spell with very little trouble. You are incredibly strong, even with the fraction of the Moonstone’s power you have access to.”

“You sound weirdly proud about that.”

Angella giggled quietly, then shot Glimmer a look that was almost mischievous. “You know, Aunt Casta was _very_ upset that you bested her spell. It will be the talk of the party for years to come.” Glimmer stared in shock at the joke. Who _was_ this woman, and what had she done to her mother?

“Mom, are you feeling okay?”

“I am. I have made a decision, and hearing how passionate you are about the safety of Etheria makes me confident that it is the correct one. I believe this is the most at-peace I have felt since before your father passed. Are you feeling well enough to stand? There is somewhere I want to take you.”

* * *

Adora groaned, her head pounding. It was hard to focus at first, and it took her a lot longer to realize she wasn’t in the guest bedroom of Bright Moon anymore. Angular lines and cold lighting surrounded her, First Ones words scrawled across the blank walls. All signs that pointed to the Crystal Castle. Good. She had a bone to pick with the resident keeper of the castle. She stumbled to her feet, only using the wall behind her long enough to balance herself before she walked forward. When she spoke, her voice echoed in the barren room.

“Light Hope! I need to talk to you!” There was a flash of light, and the tall hologram appeared in front of her. The AI regarded her with her normal blank expression, and Adora was reminded that Light Hope was not human. There was nothing even resembling humanity in her anymore, not like that memory Adora had witnessed with Mara. What had changed Light Hope so much? Where was the being that liked flowers, that looked so happy when Mara came to visit?

“Adora. What are you doing here? I was under the impression that you were cross with me.”

“Oh, I _am_ cross. And I need answers about my past. So enough dodging around the subject! I am not leaving until you to talk to me!"

“Adora, there is nothing more to talk about save the Heart of Etheria. It is your purpose. That is all that matters.”

“No, what _matters_ is that you **lied** to me! _Again_! Hordak didn’t pull me through that portal, did he!?”

“Adora, this is irrelevant to the Heart-”

“Admit it! You had something to do with it, didn’t you!”

“Adora-”

“You stole me from whatever home I had!”

“Your home was set to be destroyed, as was the fate of many First Ones. I had no choice but to act. The First Ones must rise again.”

“So you _do_ admit it! You took me! And you lied to me, convinced me to walk away from the Horde! _They_ were my first real home here on Etheria, and you poisoned that for me!

“Adora, you are showing emotional instability. What purpose does it serve to reflect on the past? You are chosen to wield the sword, along with the power of the Heart. That is why you are here.”

“No. You told me once that I wasn’t allowed to have a choice. Well, I am making a choice now. I am done being used and lied to. I am _done_ turning my back on people. I will _not_ be your tool! I will not be _anyone’s_ tool! Everything is your fault, and I won’t let you use people. Not anymore.”

“Adora, you cannot override your function. There is no way to escape it.”

Light Hope had not just stolen her real home from her, but her found home, too. She remembered Catra's face when they first broke away from each other to walk their own paths, when Adora had been certain what she was doing was for the benefit of everyone. She had been too busy trying to look out for everyone _else_ that she had forgotten her promise to look after Catra. Catra, who just wanted her to go _home_. She owed her an apology. Adora grit her teeth, mind flashing back to the power source of the Crystal Castle. If she disconnected it... Maybe what she was about to do was bad, but it felt _right_.

“Bet you I can escape it if I override _you_.”

* * *

Hordak squinted against the wind as the transport skimmed through the Whispering Woods, adjusting the sail to keep the brunt of it out of his face. They weren’t ideal modes of transportation, used as they were for disposing waste from the Fright Zone. But they were preprogrammed to fly straight to Beast Island, which took some of the guesswork out of their route. Once they returned to the First Ones shrine they had left Adora at, he could simply hit a button and let the transport take them to their destination. Convenient though it was, it did not mean he would sit _inside_ the filthy contraption, preferring to balance on top. It put him at the mercy of the elements, but it was better than sitting amongst the garbage.

Bow seemed to have no issue with the debris, tucked away from the winds as he perched on some pile of scrap inside the vehicle. Imp was curled adjacent to him and fast asleep. Hordak was still cross with Bow about the whole bracelet incident, and judging by Bow’s silence, he was upset about something as well.

Hordak caught the scent of acrid smoke before he saw anything. It was similar to the smell of an electrical fire, which was a concern given that they were in the woods. Not a lot of technology to catch fire out here. He slowed the transport, skimming the sky whenever the trees let up enough for it to be visible. His eyes finally picked out a thin, grey trail. “There is some kind of smoke above the treeline.” Bow glanced at him, then huffed and went back to fidgeting with his data pad. Hordak growled. “Whatever your perceived issue, there is a potential _tangible_ issue up ahead.”

Bow frowned, tapping a bit more severely at the screen. “Did you know this thing transmits audio from the bracelet?”

Hordak stared openly at him, nearly careening the transport into a tight spot before he seized control. “What does _that_ have to do with anything?”

“It’s just- did you _have_ to be mean to poor Kyle!? He sounded terrified!”

“You had no knowledge of Kyle before this mission, so why you should begin to care now is of no concern to me.”

“Your shakedown was just super mean, okay? He _really_ didn’t deserve that.”

“He remains unharmed, so your consternation is unmerited. You have never exhibited concern over attacking my Horde soldiers before, so why you choose to do so now is ridiculous. If you have finished being childish over this matter, there is still the issue of a _fire_ in the distance.”

Bow popped his head out of the transport, looking like he was going to continue arguing. Then he, too, saw the smoke in the distance. “Uh-oh. Why does it look like that’s in the direction of the Crystal Castle?”

“Likely because it is.”

The transport slowed as they approached the smoking construct of the shrine. The building remained intact, but it was clear something had gone terribly wrong as smoke trailed out from the cavernous door. Bow hopped off the transport without waiting for it to stop, running inside. Hordak was tempted to leave him there, to hit the control button that would take him to Beast Island. But the metal around his arm was enough to give him pause. Even if the transport would take him there automatically, he could not chance arriving there broken. The entire point of this mission was to save Entrapta. What use was he without his armour?

Bow came bolting out much faster than Hordak anticipated, his arms waving frantically. “We gotta go, _we gotta go_!”

Hordak squinted, then saw the cause for panic. Following after Bow, and in a very inhospitable mood, were dozens of monstrous spiders. He leaned forward, trying to get a good look at one. They were _fascinating_ , looking to be a perfect meld of biological and technological. Entrapta would _definitely_ be interested in one…

“ _Hordak_! Step on it!” He blinked, realizing Bow had launched into the transport, then hit the automated console. They sped away and he couldn’t help but crane his neck to watch as the spiders faded into the distance. Would Entrapta’s skill be enough to reverse-engineer one of those creatures to better improve his own cybernetics? Assuming she lived, of course. An assumption he found trying to possess his every waking thought. He really needed to kill that hope before they arrived at Beast Island. Nothing destroyed a man faster than crushing their hopes. It would be safer for him to realize she was dead and gone, even if the thought caused his throat to tighten unexpectedly.

Giving his head a firm shake as he determined to just ignore it all as a whole, he glanced below, into the transport’s compartment. With the automation taking over, the skiff was picking up speed as it navigated towards the ocean. The wind was starting to become unbearable, destroying any semblance of tidiness to his hair. Grudgingly he slid down into the trash bay, pushing Imp off what looked to be the cleanest pile of garbage before taking a cautious seat. With his tall frame and Bow’s none-too-short one, it was uncomfortably crowded. He drew his knees closer as he registered an issue.

“Where is Adora?”

“That’s the problem. My _very obvious_ arrow note was still in the wall, but no Adora. Just a pile of very unhappy spiders and a very malfunctioning Light Hope. And, oh, glaring red lights everywhere. I’m not sure what happened, or where Adora went, but it is definitely not good.”

“Perhaps you should have shot her with your _very obvious_ arrow note. She certainly would not have missed it then.”

“If that was a joke, we _really_ need to work on your sense of humour.” Hordak only smirked at him, and Bow groaned. “Great. We have a long trip ahead, and I am stuck alone with a _crazy_ guy."

"You are lucky I do not take offence to that. Even with this bracelet, I could probably subdue you in such a confined space before you could cut power to my armour."

"Maybe, but you risk damaging the transport, and I don't think you'll take that risk. Who was it we were going to save again, Imp?" The spy blinked awake, rustling his wings as he sat up enough to open his mouth and transmit audio.

{ _Entrapta_!}

"That's right, buddy!" Bow held his hand out and, in a moment that positively appalled Hordak, received a tiny high-five from Imp. He hissed quietly at the pair before leaning back, trying to keep his bare legs from touching any refuse.

A long trip _indeed_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have made it this far, please drop a kudos or a comment!
> 
> I'm not quite sure what else to say today, as I get more nervous with every chapter posted. It's a scary thing, throwing your work out into the ether! Please be kind! So, I suppose, I hope you enjoyed, and I look forward to this week's omake! (Rosabell14, you may appreciate it most)
> 
> As a sidenote, I discovered that I live near a tiny unmarked road that is actually called Whispering Woods. I am no delinquent but never before have I been so tempted to steal a sign.
> 
> As always, thank you so very much for reading, cheers, and stay safe!


	10. CHAPTER UPDATE

A brief apology and an update to the readers here! I am unfortunately not posting a chapter this week, and while I had planned on posting a short omake yesterday with to explain this, as well as my plans for upcoming chapters, I unfortunately had a bit of a hand injury and got a bit distracted, what with the blood and swelling. Typing is a true joy.

This all being said! To make up for the lack of chapter this week, my beta writer and I are planning a bit of a chapter blitz this coming week!

Saturday the 8th, we will be posting The Path of Congress. This will highlight Glimmer's new role and duties in Bright Moon, as well as bringing some other familiar characters into the fray.

Sunday the 9th, we will be posting The Path of Accords. This will follow Bow, Hordak, and Imp on the journey to Beast Island, right down to the first steps and impressions of said island.

Monday the 10th, we will be posting The Path of Regret. This will catch us up on Adora's journey, as well as give us a confrontation between two very distressed characters.

I apologize again for the break in posting, and I am hoping the surplus of chapters will make up for my flub here. I still have plans to post an omake before this blitz, but today is stalling me a bit and I am getting too frustrated to write anything worth reading.

I hope you all stay safe out there, and I will miss your feedback this week! Hope to see you next weekend, and I am once again sorry!

(The injury is not bad, just a moderately nasty bite. If there is no infection, I shall be a-okay. Just hurting and sad today, and no one deserves to read writing that I create when in a mood like this. This update will be deleted and replaced when the next chapter comes up.)

**Author's Note:**

> The story will really diverge after the end of the second chapter. I have the plot points laid out, but if there are any interactions you want to see between characters, please let me know!
> 
> If you have made it this far, please be kind and drop a kudos. Comments make my day, so that is a kindness far above.
> 
> As always, thank you all, cheers, and be safe!


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